Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
by RubbyKK
Summary: Sora, Riku and Kari are pulled into another adventure as they discover that not everything is as it appears and they learn that not every secret can stayed buried with time.
1. Can't Stay Dead

Disclaimer: If I owned kh it would come out in English first.

P.S. everything in italics are from the kh1 manga v.1

* * *

_Long ago the world was united and filled with warm light_.

It was a dusty, desolate field. The only sign that anyone had ever lived there were a few indistinct ruins. Canyons enclosed the entire area and only parched weeds had managed to squeak by with any semblance of survival.

Ven couldn't help but shutter, for despite the stifling atmosphere this place was a graveyard. Already hundreds of thousands of people died because of Thanroe's vendetta, and the list had yet to be completed. Of all the keybladers only the chasers where left. Ironic really, because they where the ones who started all this.

_People loved the light, and eventually began fighting over it._

As he walked through the rows of keyblades as dusty and dead as the field its self, he couldn't help but feel his anger rise. All this death and destruction simply because Thanroe had been told no, and he didn't even take it out on those who denied him his wish in the first place. He took it out on everyone the chasers had called friends. All those who once called Thanroe himself friend.

Soon Ven found himself at a set of crossroads between the rows of weapons. In the center stood three blades that looked as dusty and disserted as the others. They were the original blades of the chasers which had been cast aside when it had been discovered that they would not be strong enough for the upcoming battle. But they would make a perfect supplement for the new blades.

_Then, darkness found it's way into people's hearts._

Ven was not the only person at the crossroads. Terra and Aqua had come like he, in full battle dress, to meet their fate. The armor was heavy, bulky and not very well liked, but it was necessary.

Suddenly a sonic boom like sound pierced their helmets. Something was coming. Through the dust it was hard to make out exactly who or what but that didn't matter. They didn't need to see him to know it was Thanroe. As he stepped closer and closer more of his face had could be seen.

He was haggard and old looking, but by no means feeble. His bald head was bent forward but his eyes looked straight ahead. All of this made him look fairly creepy but he one thing that made his appearance all the more cynical was that fact that he was no older then twenty-five years old. He must have done so much dark magic that it aged him prematurely.

_Darkness consumed the hearts and light of the people, and in a flash it spread…_

For a second his image flickered and split into two identical visions. The second then quickly shifted into armor like the chasers wore except more streamlined. Blaze. It had to be.

Ven had prepared to lunge at the traitor when a hand stopped him. Of course, the level headed Terra wasn't going to let him rush into things. Then the enigmatic knight did something wholly unexpected: Terra himself took off running as fast as he could to clear the gap between the once friends.

Thanroe and Blaze stopped just as Terra started to pounce. The old magician simply raised his hand and caused the solid rock in front of him to rise, smashing into Terra midair.

_And the world disappeared into darkness._

Terra buckled and rolled, tying not to break his neck despite the thick armor. He didn't even have a chance to catch his breath before Thanroe raised his arm again. For a moment Terra felt fear trickle down his spine for he was sure that Thanroe was going to raise the ground out from under him a second time and start bouncing him like a rag doll.

That didn't happen. Instead he raised the platform he was on, cutting Terra off from being able to attack or join his friends. He couldn't attack but he could be attacked. Blaze jumped and on the way down sent a massive jolt of lightning downwards. It was less then one minute into the fight and already his armor had saved him, but the shock had caused massive cracks in it. If he wasn't careful his armor would crumble like clay.

No sooner had the sparks died then he heard a rushing sound. Thanroe had neglected to take into account the chasers own talented magician. Aqua had used her power to raise the earth in a shower of debris catapulting Ven to Terra's level. He didn't even miss a beat as he landed and rush forward.

_But a glimmer of light remained in the hearts of children…_

Ven's oncoming assault was met by Blaze's blade. From out of nowhere a enormous jut of ice aimed for Blaze missed by inches and pushed the two combatants apart. Somehow Aqua had found her way up to the second level of the battle field.

Hundreds of feet above, Thanroe flicked his wrist and a hurricane appeared gathering up dozens of the dead keyblades. The hurricane twisted and tuned until it was nothing but a long thin snake then it headed straight down. Blaze did a side flip and landed on it perfectly as if it were a skateboard.

Blaze raced neck and neck with Aqua while sending towers of ice and wind to crush her; she dodged every one of them but at this rate, her agility would soon run out . Before she even truly noticed what happened Ven had attacked Blaze from above, all the while coming to her rescue.

Within seconds Ven had found an opening in Blaze's seemingly impassible defense and took it. He sent a bolt of lightning straight to the traitor's heart but he missed. Instead, it just got wrapped around his hurricane board, doing nothing. Somehow the fight had gotten to the top titer of the field. Blaze flew across a huge gape and landed beside his bother, Thanroe.

_Children gathered their glimmers of light and recreated the world_.

Ven jumped on the tail of he hurricane, trying to get across but he was unable to keep his balance and fell off right at the edge of the canyon. Unable to grab the side and pull himself up, he fell. About half way down he tried to use his Keyblade to stop. It didn't work, actually all it did was pull a three ton rock down with him.

Aqua jumped, trying to help but the hurricane just drug her back down. The fall cracked her helmet, so now her blue eyes and turquoise hair were visible. While Ven landed on his feet.

He then came over to make sue she was all right, but there was no need. Before she was all the way up she raised her keyblade and sent her personal favorite spell, honeycomb, at Terra. Instantly he was trapped in a glasslike bubble which broke his fall. By then it was too late to notice that the hurricane had came up under him and pushed him up further.

Without so much as a flick of Thanroe's wrist the hurricane stopped and put Terra down right beside him. he charged but that was a bad idea. Thanroe sent a blanket of ice up his right arm freezing it in place. Terra stumbled back and watched as the ice crept even further up his arm.

_The recreated world, however, was no longer united… It was divided into several smaller worlds._

Somehow Ven had gotten up to the top and charged at Thanroe, who just caught the boy's face in his hand and, looking right at Terra, squeezed. The cracking of the helmet sent a chill down Terra's spine. Had it cracked his skull too?

Terra rushed forward desperate to save his friend but Blaze just bade his pet hurricane to knock him down off the cliff.

Still clutching Ven's face in his hand, Thanroe walked to the edge of the cliff, his brother beside him. Making sue Aqua was watching he let out a burst of dark energy that froze Ven's entire body, and then he simply let go. He then watched with a sick kind of pleasure as Ven bushed agents the side of the cliff as he fell, with each contact breaking another chunk off the icicle.

He landed right in front of Aqua. Using his eyes, the only part of him still mobile, he begged her to fix it. To use her magic to make the pain go away but, of course she couldn't, no matter how much she wanted to: she had used all her magic to save Terra before.

_Because the true light was still hidden deep within the darkness…_

* * *

Sora had been sitting on the little island watching the sun set for about ten minuets before Riku came up behind him. It was something they had always done since before Kairi had come to the island. It was their time to hang out after homework and school. It was a ritual never missed (unless they where out saving the worlds).

Seeing the look on his friend's face, Riku could tell something was wrong. Sora's normally bright face was twisted into a grimace that showed he was thinking hard about something unpleasant. That in it's self was a rare occurrence. Sora never thought hard about any thing… at least he never used to.

Sora had changed over the months they had been separated and Riku was finding more and more things that weren't the same to him. It wasn't necessarily a bad change, but it was different. Sora was more responsible and more observant. Many had remarked on how much the spiky haired child had matured. But Riku had changed too: he was more relaxed and less completive. It was a nice change, for everybody.

"We were wrong. Everything's changed." Sora said without even looking at his friend.

"What made you change your mind." The blond asked.

"School." Was the boy's only reply.

"Come on Sora, your going to have to do better then that." Riku said, trying to coax the entire truth out of the keyblade master.

Sora sighed and pulled a stack of papers from his back pocket. It was today's test. Handing it to Riku, he gave a little smile at the big red "F" on his paper.

"Nothing we learned matters. Not here." He said sadly and waited for his friend's reply.

For a moment there was only silence then Riku spoke, obviously choosing his words carefully.

"It dose matter… Just not on test."

Sora turned to look at his friend. How could Riku say that?

"Oh really? How?" The brunet demanded of him.

Riku just smiled in response.

"Well, at least now you can beat Tidus with a sword." He said with a grin.

"Tidus? What about you?" Sora teased.

"Maybe with a bit more practice." Riku returned.

Sora and Riku just stared at each other for a minute, challenging each other to be the first to laugh. Eventually they cracked at the same time.

Suddenly their jubilant moment was interrupted by an ear splitting scream from the main island. Soon several more followed. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

The two boys stated to run towards the island. Something told them that this might have to do with the letter they got form the king a few days ago. It hadn't told them much, but what it did say gave the keybladers the impression that something was going on. Something big.

They didn't even bother with the boats. Untying them would take too much time they just swam to the opposite shore. From there it took ten minute to run up the path to town.

By then the blanket of night had fallen, but tonight that it wasn't the same cool, calming blanket that usually fell on Destiny Islands. Tonight it was a thick, foreboding type of darkness that reminded Riku of the true darkness. The same frigid, suffocating darkness that had became his entire being for more then an entire year. The darkness that almost destroyed his heart and his friends. The same darkness that he vowed he would never see again.

As they approached the town they saw what all the commotion was about. Heartless hundreds of them everywhere. But that was the least of Sora and Riku's problems. The true problem wasn't the heartless themselves, rather it was their commander.

" Xigbar?" Sora asked.

"Missed me?" asked the Freeshooter.

* * *

Worlds away from our heroes something just as strange was happing.

In a spotless white room, sat the Oracle. She was a being hailed as all-knowing, but in fact, she was far from it. If she know everything she would not be in this situation. She would not be in this hell.

Behind her in the bight, white room shadows grew and pooled into a human form. A shadow. It had no distinguishable features other then the outline of its original self.

The shadow walked over silently and sat down beside the statue, but just because he made no noise did not mean that he was not noticed.

"It is done." He said, his voice gave. It was obvious that whatever was 'done' wasn't something particularly pleasant.

If she could The Oracle would have smiled at his attitude, but she couldn't move a muscle except those needed to speak. She couldn't even see the shadow due to the long cloak hood covering her eyes. All she could see was white. The same white she had seen every second of every day for ten long years.

"Thank you, Blaze." She said.

"I don't like this. Was what happened before all for nothing?" He asked.

"If you can just trust me Blaze, just for a little while, you and I will be released form our prisons and then we can release and rejoin our friends. You want that, don't you?"

"Aero, of course I trust you, but I think it was a bad idea to just let that damn Organization reform. They are sloppy and unpredictable." Blaze said looking at her.

"They will also be invaluable allies. They will lead the keybearers right where we want them. And with them we will be able to break free from our prisons." She said, reminding her friend of exactly what was at stake.

"I still don't like it." The shadow replied.

"Sacrifices must be made." Aero said, her voice slopping into a sad little whisper.

"Sacrifices must always be made. The rewards will be well worth it. " She continued bitterly.

"I do miss being able to see my reflection." Blaze admitted.

Aero gave a bitter little laugh.

"As don't I… As don't I."

* * *

So what did you think? Please tell me. I need five reviews before I post chapter two. Also if you have any idea for new worlds let me know. Just nothing over PG-13, since that's the highest the cannon went. NO FLAMES!! Constructive criticism only. Don't tell me I'm doing something wrong unless you tell me what I can do to fix it.

P.S. Aqua, Ven and Terra will be in the story and not just in flash backs. It will take a few chapters though. This will be a long fic. Easily fifty plus chapters.


	2. Miss Izzy

This chapter is un-bataed. i plain to put the bataed one latter today. (I'm at school and I uausaly bata during lunch.)

Dissclaimer: I don't own it and nither does my muse, Syth.

* * *

Sora knew for a long time that Xigbar was dead, in fact he had been the one to kill him. So how was it that he was standing right in front of the keyblade master? How was it that he was once again fighting for his life? It didn't make since, nobody could come back from the dead.

Sora's mind raced a mile a minute. It wasn't because he was worried about loosing, he knew that point to be mute. He had defeated Xigbar before with Goofy and Donald almost perpetually knocked out. With Riku fighting along side him this time, it was only a matter of time before Xigbar was defeated.

Perhaps more important question wasn't how he was revived, rather how many were. How many of Sora's defeated enemies were walking among the living? What about Vexen? Xaldin? Zexion? Demyx? Would he have to fight them again as well? He wasn't just concerned with Organization XIII, he was concerned about all the other nobodies. Were they back as well; was all his work for nothing?

His thoughts no longer had time to wonder. The fight was on.

Riku ran and made a swipe at Xigbar's neck. With normal nobodies it would have worked, but this was no ordinary nobody. (If they could even be ordinary, because they don't really exist.) At the last moment the Freeshooter disappeared and reappeared twenty feet away, with his guns pointed right at the back of Riku's head. Putting his itchy fingers to the test, Xigbar sent a round of bullets at the teenagers and then disappeared again, this time reappearing in the middle of town.

* * *

"Hey Aero?" Blaze asked softly when the silence had finally become too defining for his nerves.

"Yes Blaze?" The Oracle replied, sounding slightly exasperated. She needed to sleep but she wasn't going to send Blaze away; he was the only socialization she ever got.

"You and I both know that we choose our paths, but you don't like the one you're on. So why not just fight it?" The shadow knew that it was one of those stupid questions you ask when you were bored before he even talked it.

Aero made a little noise halfway between a laugh and a snort.

" You think I didn't." It wasn't a question.

"Well you're here." Blaze said, his voice taking on a slightly sarcastic tone.

"Sacrifices must be made."

Her voice was flat a dull, as if she were an annoyed babysitter answering a five year olds question.

"Huh?" Blaze replied, causing Aero to sigh. He had never exactly been the sword in the armory.

"I loved my sister too much."

"Ohh." He said, as if that small sentence cleared up every question of the cosmos.

"Speaking of which…" Aero trailed off, knowing that he would guess the rest of the thought.

"All I have to do is wait for the twins to fall asleep. Then I can slip into their dreams and get them to help. Easy…though I kind of feel bad for manipulating them like that." He admitted ashamedly.

"This is a hell of a time to grow a conscience." Her voice had grown harsh and gained a chastising quality that put a strange thought into his head: what if the Aero he knew was dieing and the person was actually someone else? Someone more sinister; a new Aero.

"Better late then never. But what about you, when did you loses yours?" Blaze's voice had lowered to match hers.

"I never have. Listen, it won't really hurt the boys. All it will do is make them really tired. Nothing permanent. Take my necklace, it will let you use some of my power instead of letting them do it all." She explained, trying to calm the boy's nerves.

When Blaze walked over to get said trinket, Aero could tell that her ploy worked to an extant.

Now why can't manipulating him always be that easy?

* * *

The town was pure pandemonium with the heartless destroying everything in sight. Several buildings were on fire and people were running around randomly, trying to escape the beasts. It didn't help that the fight between Xigbar and the Keyblade masters was reaching it's peak.

Apparently Xigbar had learnt from his and Sora's last battle. He refused to stay still any longer then the time it took for him to fire one round of bullets. This and the fact that Sora and Riku had no potions left over from their last adventure made fighting him difficult.

Riku had less then a third of his health left and both he and Sora were fresh out of magic points. If this didn't end soon he wouldn't have to worry about what happened to Destiny Island.

Riku stopped to catch his breath for a second and Xigbar saw an opportunity. He disappeared from in front of Sora and reappeared, intending to take the chance to finish off the brat, but that didn't happen. The moment before his finger taped the trigger he was disappeared.

"Bleig? What happened to you? You used to… What kind of monster have you become?"

Standing on the edge of half-ruined town was a middle aged woman with blood red hair. Miss. Izzy. Kairi's mother. She was simply standing there staring at the Freeshooter with a look of nothing less than betrayal on her face.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He asked, causing Miss. Izzy to show the boys exactly where Kairi got her temper from.

"How dare you! How dare you use the techniques Te-" Her ear splitting shrieks were suddenly cut off as Xigbar, or Bleig, appeared roughly three inches from her face.

"Listen here, the Chasers are dead. All of them, so what ever I was taught by them I can do what ever I want to with. Not that I was ever bound by their rules in the first place." He sneered.

It appeared that, for some reason, he had hit a soft spot. Miss. Izzy pulled her elbow back and gave Xigbar a right hook so powerful, it seemed almost unnatural for it to come from this small woman.

"Go, get out of here and if I see you or any of the other five anywhere near my island again I'll kill you." This was very out of character for the kind woman the boys had grown up with.

"How do you know him?" Riku asked after the Freeshooter had left through a path of darkness.

Miss. Izzy wasn't listening, instead she was staring at the kingdom key in Sora's hand.

"May I hold it?" She asked him in a voice so soft it was almost reverent. Slightly creped out by the entire situation, the boy just nodded and handed her the weapon.

After a moment of examination, she handed it back to Sora with just as much reverence as she had received it.

"Odd that you should be chosen as his successor when you two are so different."

"Who's successor?" He asked, but it was too late. Miss. Izzy had already turned to leave and either could not hear him or was ignoring him. About thirty paces away she turned her head and spoke a few words before continuing on her way:

"Oh, Boys? I'd appreciate it if Kairi didn't know about this."

Sora gave his friend a very confused look, to which Riku just shrugged.

* * *

It was times like this that made King Mickey very grateful that Gummi paths didn't have speed limits. He had known for quite a while that their was a new threat terrorizing the worlds, but he didn't know what. The King had been researching the possibilities when he caught word of (for lack of a better term) the bad guys' target.

Destiny Island. Sora and Riku's home. It made sense that they would go after the only people who could stop them, but something didn't feel right. Ansem had said that these new 'bad guys' had something to do with what happened ten years ago, and if that were true, Sora and the gang just might be over their heads with this one.

Last time thousands of solders, on each side, went to battle and no one returned. The outcome of that battle had decided the fate of all worlds. Because of the Chasers loss, the worlds had to be separated, and the memory of them ever being united erased from the minds of most.

Mickey had lost a lot of friends last time, and he wasn't going to let it happen again.

Soon he was landing of the sandy beaches of Destiny Island. Smoke rose from the center of town, informing him that he was too late. Damn it! In a last desperate attempt to reach his friends, he ran as fast as his little legs could carry him up the well beaten path towards town.

Within minuets, the mouse found his friends on the edge of the half destroyed town. They looked exhausted and confused but, thankfully, not severely hurt.

The boy's heads turned in unison as they heard the King approach.

"Your Majesty, what are you doing here?" Sora's exasperated voice told the Mickey just how much he and Riku needed hi-potions.

"Your safe. I was afraid I wasn't goin' to make it in time!" The mini monarch sighed in relief.

"Your Majesty, what's going on? How is it the Organization has returned?" Riku asked, almost certain that The King would know.

"I don't know." The mouse answered honestly. Before then he hadn't even known that they where back, but it didn't surprise him.

"What's going on?" Sora asked, causing the mouse to bow his head and look at his over sized shoes.

"I guess I've got some explainin' to do." The mouse sighed.

"But we should probably find Kairi before I explain things."

* * *

Kairi was found in the children's secret spot, where they had agreed to meet in the event of an emergency. To say she was surprised to see Mickey and hear the tail of Sora and Riku's fight with Xigbar would be and understatement. Ever since they had gotten the King's letter Kairi had been expecting him but not like this. Not with his returning marking the return of Organization XIII.

"So now that Kairi knows what happened, I want to know what's going on." Riku demanded.

The mouse sighed. This was going to take a while.

"Now, I don't know very much but I'll tell you what I do know.

"About ten years ago the keyblades started appearing to the heroes of each world. They helped the heroes keep peace in the worlds. But then somehow keyblades got into the hands of villains. It was chaos. The worst of the worst was Thanroe. I don't know much about him except he was the badist of the bad. He even scared Terra." Mickey gave a little shudder. When he saw the looks of confusion on Sora, Riku and Kairi's face.

"Terra was the leader of the Chasers, the original keybladers. I knew him and he was the bravest person I have ever known. He knew a lot more about what Thanroe was up to but he wouldn't tell any one. I don't even think he told the rest of the Chasers.

"Eventually all the good Keybladers were called to fight all the bad. Thousands and thousands of keybladers fought and none of them were seen again.

"All I know is that Thanroe is back and he probably has something to do with Organization XIII's return."

Their was a sharp intake of breath from the entrance to the cave. Mickey hadn't noticed Miss. Izzy standing there or he wouldn't have said half of what he did.

"So you're going on another adventure?" She asked softly.

Kairi said nothing, for there was nothing to say.

"Well then you might want to pack a few things. A change of cloths, your key chains, maybe a picture of your parents, your brothers." That last part was obviously directed towards Riku, who was the only one with any siblings. When Kairi, Riku, and Sora were silent Miss. Izzy took this as an opportunity to continue.

"It would probably be a good idea for you to tell your parents what's going on., but tone down the danger a little bit." She said, flashing them a smile that told them it was not simply a suggestion.

As they left Riku whispered something carefully into Sora's ear, so Kairi wouldn't hear.

"We never told her about the Key chains."

The moment she was sure the children where out of ear shoot Miss. Izzy tuned to Mickey.

"What you said meant a lot to me." Her voice was full of the utmost sincerity.

"Well Miss. Izzy I meant every word." Mickey said causing her to smile.

"I know we don't know each other very well, but could I ask you a favor?" The red head asked. The King just nodded his consent.

"Can you give this to Ansem?" She asked, handing him a sealed letter.

"Of course Miss. Izzy." The mouse replied.

"Mickey, I need you to look after Kairi. I can't survive loosing anything more… not to him." She was about to cry, but it didn't matter. It had to be said.

Half an hour latter all five where gathered by the King's Gummi ship to say their farewells. It was obvious that the day was starting to take it's toll on the middle aged momma. The few lines on her face where accented by the wary look in her eyes.

Kairi didn't know it but she was the reason her mother was trying as hard as she could not to cry. The young girl stood beside her friend, each with a full knapsack slung over their shoulder looking like little soldiers.

The sight was too like one she had seen ten years ago. It was too painful, too close to home to bare. She almost couldn't, but she had to. Sora, Riku and Kairi were chosen for this and that meant they had to do it. It meant Izzy had to watch her baby go off to war.

"Mom, are you okay?" Kairi asked when she noticed her mother playing with the violet and lavender ring on her right hand. It was something she did sometimes for no apparent reason. Kairi knew there was something special about that ring but she never asked. Any time Kairi asked about her mother's past she would just get this far away look in her eyes like she was remembering something very bittersweet and ignore the question.

"Yes sweetie," She said and then added as an after thought, "I want you to have this." Miss. Izzy said using her teeth to pull the slightly too small ring off her finger. Holding her daughter's hand out flat she placed the ring on her palm and closed the girl's fingers around the tiny bit of metal.

"Promise me you'll wear this? It will protect you." Kairi couldn't say no, she immediately put the ring on neglecting to look at the inscription on the inside band. The ring fit perfect and somehow Kairi got the impression that the miniature work of art was truly made for her.

* * *

Okay so I know this one was a little scattered and I sucked at writing the king, I tried. Sorry, but I had to lay down some things for the rest of the story. I love foreshadowing and if I spend half a page talking about something it probably will be important latter on. (Wink wink, nudge nudge)

Just to let you know Kairi's family will be the only ones who make an appearance in this story unless I decide to add in Riku's brothers. That will be a trip.

One more thing, Nobody's parents were Chasers!!!! Sorry I see that one on message boards all the time.

P.S. The twins are not oc's. they are from a real fandom. If you can guess who they are you get a cookie.

R and R guys, you know the drill.

Karlie


	3. Of Sons and Secrets

To a young boy so far from home, the world can be a scary place. Even a child as smart and mature as Ienzo couldn't help but want to run and hide in his mother's skirts when faced with the darkness that is the unknown. But the child couldn't. His mother was dead.

Ienzo didn't want to be there. He _really_ didn't want to be there but he had to. His father had secured him an apprenticeship under an old friend. Ansem was suppose to be one of the best scientist in the world and Ienzo should be honored. The gesture was flattering, but truth be told he would rather be home taking care of his brothers, but his father had taken him aside and asked him to do this in a desperate voice that forced the boy to consent.

He had come to Radiant Garden just after breakfast to meet this renown 'Master' Ansem. While waiting in the kitchen he saw an amusing sight:

A young man of about twenty with baggy pants and messy brown hair was standing at the stove trying to make something kin to an omelet. The egg was runny in some places and horribly bunt in others.

Ienzo stood watching for a few seconds before he was noticed.

"Who are you?" The man asked, slightly curious.

"I'm Ienzo." The child replied, frowning slightly at the man's slight smile.

"The new apprentice, I should have known." He said with a light laugh, yet something about the way it was said made Ienzo uncomfortable, or perhaps it was just his nerves.

"Well sir, I have introduced myself, could you not extend the same courtesy?" Ienzo said, taking to heart his father's parting advice. Kensal had warned his youngest son to keep on his toes for he was going to be surrounded by some of the brightest minds in all the worlds.

"I'm Terra." He said, taking his eyes away from his food to greet the child properly.

"Are you one of Ansem's other apprentices?" Ienzo asked, trying to scope out the competition. Terra just laughed as he put the dilapidated omelet on a plate.

"No, not in the way you're thinking of it." He said as he sat down to his meal.

"A bit of advice," Terra said after trying to get a bite of food and having it fall through the prongs of his fork. "never sleep in. Meals are at eight, twelve and six and if you're even a minute late you're not allowed to eat with the rest of them."

Something told Ienzo that this was one bit of advice that Terra himself had yet to learn to follow.

In an uncharacteristic gesture of pity, Ienzo grabbed the plate from in front of Terra and preceded to dispose of it's contents.

"What did you do that for? I was going to eat that!!" Ienzo didn't dignify that with a response. Ignoring Terra's dejected look, he went to the fridge and got out eggs, cheese, peppers and a few other ingredients.

"This is heaven." Terra said five minutes latter, through a mouthful of omelet.

Ienzo couldn't help but smile.

"If you think that's good wait until you try my pickles."

* * *

Radiant Garden had become almost unrecognizable in the months Sora had been away. The boarded windows and patch job roofs had disappeared and in their place was a bustling, beautiful town. The only sign of the world's previous problems was the half refurbished castle in the distance.

Mickey walked to the center of town, along with Riku, Kairi and Sora. Leon should be at Merlin's house, and if he fond him, they could find Ansem. If they could find Ansem they could ask him about the keyblade war.

"Hey when did you get back?" Leon asked when he saw when he opened the door. It had been months since the friends had seen each other, and believe it or not Leon had missed the little twerp.

"Ah, Leon how's the restoration committee been doing?" Sora asked as he saw his old friend.

"Same as always. So who is this?" Leon asked even though he already knew. Sora introduced his friends. After a few moments' pleasantries, Mickey decided it was time to cut to the chase.

"We're looking for Ansem, do you know where he is?" The mouse asked.

Leon rubbed his chin for a few seconds before responding.

"Ansem, huh? He should be in his study working with Tron, I think. If you're going that way I'll walk with you." He offered.

* * *

Leon couldn't help but notice Kairi looking around in wonder, and he gave a little smile.

"It's been a lot of work to get this place back on back to what it was." He explained to the red head.

"So this is what it looked like before?" She asked.

"Pretty much."

Kairi looked away in thought.

"You know, I was born here, but we moved away when I was little so I don't remember anything." She said still looking away.

Leon gave Kairi a hard look for a second and then recognition flashed in his eyes.

"T-" He begin to say but stopped when Mickey 'accidentally' stepped on his foot. It was clear that the mouse wanted him to shut up. Leon could tell that for some reason this was to be kept secret. That wouldn't work. Not this secret. Not now.

"Things happen." Luckily the girl never noticed his stumble.

If Kairi was who Leon thought she was, then could it truly be a coincidence that Sora was chosen to be the keyblade master? And if it was intentional then why wasn't Kairi, herself, chosen? Perhaps the fact that she had put so much faith in Sora was the answer.

Leon was brought out of his musing when they reached the lab.

"Hello my friends. So I imagine you have been brought up to date on our situation." Ansem asked when he saw his friends in the doorway.

"Yea, but we still have a bunch of question." Sora answered.

"Ansem, can I talk to you alone for a moment?" The King interrupted.

The white haired man just stared at Mickey for a second, and seeing in his eyes that it was important, consented.

"Feel free to get Tron to answer your questions, if he is able." He instructed before following Mickey into the study.

* * *

The moment Mickey was sure no one had followed them or could over hear, he shut the hidden door to the lab tightly. Taking a deep breath he reached up his left sleeve and pulled out the letter.

"Izzy asked me to give you this." He said simply.

The mouse watched as Ansem unsealed and read the letter. He watched as tears fell from the old man's face. He leaned back against the wall and slowly slide down until he was sitting on the floor.

"So Kairi's…" He begin.

"Yes, she is." He concurred.

"This is twice I've failed." He whispered, not really caring if he were heard.

"Aw Ansem, you didn't fail. You did what you thought was best, same as Terra would have done. Just because you made a few mistakes doesn't mean you failed. Just keep your head up." Mickey said trying to cheer him up.

The truth was that Ansem had made some big mistakes in the past, but he shouldn't feel guilty. He was a good person, no matter what any one said or thought.

"Izzy gave her the ring Terra made." Ansem said after collecting himself for a moment.

"Well, that will help." The King said, more to fill the silence then anything.

"The one thing I can't grasp is: how did Terra know that she was going to get messed up in all this?" His voice was soft and confused, like a child asking about the wonders of the world.

Mickey thought for a moment, and choosing his words very carefully, replied.

"Becausemaybe Terra choose her for this."

"What?" Ansem asked, in a voice half way between a whisper and a yell.

"Terra's job as a Chaser was to chose who got the Keyblades. He is the only one that could see into the hearts of people so he could tell if they could handle the responsibility." Mickey explained.

"I didn't know that. Terra was always very secretive about what he did with the Chasers. If that were true then how now, after ten years?" Ansem asked.

"I don't know… I don't know." The King answered quietly, shaking his head slowly from side to side.

"Well my old friend, let us stop dwelling in the past and get back to the world of the living." Ansem suggested.

Mickey complied without complaint.

* * *

At the same time Sora, Riku, and Kairi were putting Tron's search engines to the test. Typing in Chasers, Keyblade war, and Thanroe, had gotten no results and it was beginning to get frustrating. Ansem was supposed to know more about this then any one. Shouldn't at least something be on the computer?

Sora took a step back from the terminal and crossed his arms. He was thinking about what to do next, and then an idea came to him. The keyblade master ran back to the computer and tried a forth keyword.

"Terra" brought up hundreds of files, most of them pictures. The first folder was full of pictures of a bright smiling young man, hardly older then twenty. Most of these also had Ansem or a dark haired teenager, with dark, calculating eyes. Riku knew those eyes all too well.

"Zexion." He snarled, not noticing that Ansem and the king had returned.

"Actually, then he was known as Ienzo." The old man said, nearly causing Riku to jump.

"He was my youngest apprentice, and the only one Terra truly took a likening to. That is what made his betrayal all the more painful." He continued.

"But DiZ, how did you know Terra? Were you a Chaser to?" Riku asked, accidentally using his old name.

The question shocked Ansem. He gave Mickey a slightly harsh look.

"You didn't tell them?" He asked.

"I didn't exactly have a chance." The mini monarch explained ashamedly.

Ansem sighed, and begin to open on old wound that had yet to fully heal.

"Terra was my son."

There was a moments awkward silence as if no one wanted to say anything incase it was offensive. Finally Sora decided to throw caution to the wind and go after the answers they were looking for.

"What did you mean about your apprentice?"

"Terra had the ability to simply look at some one and know what was in their heart. He wouldn't spend time with people if he sensed too much darkness in them or if they had a weak will. But Ienzo was like a brother to him, so I assumed he was trustworthy." It was easy to see that this was a painful subject but their was something Kairi fealty she had to say.

"Do you think Terra was wrong, or do you think maybe Ienzo had a reason for siding with Xehanort?" She asked.

The question left Ansem godsmacked. In the five years since Ienzo had cast aside his heart Ansem had never thought about why. All he had thought about in the five years since was how much it had hurt _him _rather then Ienzo himself.

"I hadn't really thought about it." Ansem admitted quietly. But now that he thought about it, he realized that Ienzo probably did have a reason. A good reason. That was just the way the kid was.

"Do you think this has anything to do with Organization XIII's return?" Sora asked.

"What are you talking about?" Ansem exclaimed, alarmed.

Sora, Riku and Kairi looked at him with an odd mix of confusion and skepticism. Wasn't the Organization's return what he and the king had been talking about?

"Organization XIII is back. I don't know how they did it and it's been driving me crazy. I sent Donald and Goofy to see what Master Yen Sid knows. We're going to meet up later."

Ansem's mind was spinning. Thanroe was back along with the Organization. Izzy's letter. Terra had found some way to issue Keyblades from beyond the gave and he was having second thoughts about Ienzo. The old man desperately needed an aspirin.

Through his headache, Terra's voice came ringing clearer then his own conscious ever could. _You need to trust your own heart. If it says to trust some one then do it, if not then don't. You're too much of a scientist; learn to think with your heart and not your head once in a while._

"I have an idea that might get us some answers, but it may be dangerous."

* * *

Aero had sat in the exact same position in the exact same spot every day for ten years. The very thought that soon she would be able to move had her hyper. She wanted to dance and sing and run, but she couldn't not yet. Soon. Very soon.

In all this excitement she had never noticed Blaze's return.

"So you never did tell me the entire plain." He commented dryly.

"I never intended to." Aero replied, not so clearly joking.

"Why am I not surprised?" The shadow said, shaking his head slowly from side to side. Aero loved control. Not that he blamed her. If Blaze had not been able to even move his eyes he would try to hold on to every iota of control possible, just like she was doing.

"Speaking of the plain, how are we doing?" The Oracle asked.

"We're ready." That was all the reply she needed.

"Good. The spell will have to be preformed tonight or tomorrow night.

"Just think Blaze, soon we'll be out of here and then we can release our friends and finish what we started!" She was getting a little too excited but it was okay. She deserved it.

"We just have to make sure there is a Gummi path open." He reminded her, not that it was needed.

"I'm two steps ahead of you. It's ready." Said Aero.

"Let's not mess this up." Blaze whispered, before calling the shadows once again. He knew that if they failed this time then they wouldn't get another chance. Ever.

* * *

So what did you think? Can I please have more then one review for this chapter? Not even my best friend would even review.

P.S. this is the last chapter in which I'm going to go on about who Kairi is for a while. You may already be able to guess. If you got an idea let me know.

Just remember: the shiny purple button never hurt anyone.


	4. Chances

Over the years Ansem had taken many risk, many of which he would latter dub unnecessary, but this… this was different. This was the only way he could think of to get what was needed. The precious life blood of the worlds. Knowledge.

"Where exactly are we going again?" Sora asked for the third time today. It wasn't that the boy kept forgetting, the problem was simply that he didn't believe it. Going directly to the former home of not one, but three members of organization XIII was not just dangerous, it was suicide.

The old man was following a hunch, something told him that he could trust Ienzo, but that something wasn't his head, it was his heart. Ansem didn't have very much experience in that area. Almost every move he has ever made has been meticulously calculated, with every risk and gain weighed. It frightened him that he was suddenly acting on impulse.

It was these frightening impulses that had sent the scientist and his companions on a five hour Gummi ride and another two hour hike through a rocky coastline and forest.

"We are going to the home of my youngest apprentice." He said, trying not to loose his patients' with the boy. He kept asking questions and he wouldn't shut up.

"Who's part of Origination XIII?"

"Yes."

The questions were getting to be a little more than annoying. Riku, Mickey, and Kairi had long ago stopped asking questions, for the man would rarely reply with more then a few words. Sora on the other hand, had an inability to simply shut up.

"And he has two brothers who are part of it too?"

"Yes.

Ansem was done being polite. He was sure to make it plenty evident that the boy was becoming more then annoying. Sora got the hint and their was several long, blissful moments of silence.

"So why did we have to park so far away?"

* * *

Lea had never liked the beach. It was just part of his nature as a pyrokinetic. His brother on the other hand loved it. The sea, the sun, and the wetness.

Oh god, the wetness. Not only did it go against Lea's very nature to be here, the salt water was murder on his hair. His pride, his joy, his sexy hair. It just totally flattened his spikes.

But that was okay, it was his brother's turn to choose how they would spend the afternoon and he choose the beach. Lea would get him back.

"Lea, don't get all worked up. Myde is enjoying himself. If you don't want to swim then you should at least work on your tan. You're looking a bit pale." Ienzo said with out even looking away from his book.

Lea shrugged. The kid had a point. If he must stay out here he might as well make the best of it. Taking his brothers advice, Lea striped down to his boxers and laid out on his stomach.

Ienzo shook his head. His brothers were too easy to shut up. All he wanted to do was sit on the beach and read, but with Lea's constant complaining it was impossible. So he offered a simple solution. Now, finally he could finish his book in peace.

"Hey Ienzo, want a drink?" An over chipper voice interrupted his thoughts again.

"No Myde I don't. Now can you please leave me the fuck alone!" The usually mild mannered boy shouted.

His brother's cursing caught Myde off guard for a moment, but only a moment. He was used to hearing that kind of langue from Lea all the time.

"Now that's just plain rude." He said, tossing the blue haired boy a can of root beer anyways. Despite his initial refusal, Ienzo caught the can in midair. He was half way through when he caught a whiff of something coming from near the boys' house. It was the sent of a group of people, most of whom he was familiar with in some way, shape, or form.

"Stay here I'll be back." Ienzo said, not really waiting for an answer. The dark haired boy then simply got up and walked away.

"Damn it. Why did he have to leave me alone with the idiot? Oh well, it's not my fault if he gets burned." Lea muttered into the sand, while a little smile tugged at his lips.

* * *

Soon Sora himself had begun to get board with his questions and finally shut up. This time supposedly for good. It was about time. It wasn't just Ansem's nerves he was testing. Everyone from the King to Kairi was about ready to hurt the fool.

Suddenly they heard a scream near by. In seconds a streak of pink followed. Someone was running as if hell its self was on their heals. Honestly, it wasn't that far from the truth.

Whoever it was quickly spotted the companions and decided that they would make a perfect hiding place.

"Hide me." He squeaked. Although he couldn't see who was hiding, Sora at least, recognized the voice. Demyx.

Sora didn't even have time to blink before he discovered exactly why he was running. Within seconds they heard another deafening scream, this time in rage rather then fear.

Taking the same route Demyx had, a tall, lean figure came running towards the boy. It was Axel clad only in a pair of soaked black and red boxers. The fact that he was completely covered in water made it clear, to Sora at least, that he had been swimming.

"Come on Myde, you're the one who wanted a fight. Why are you being such a coward?" He asked. It was clear by his murderous tone that Demyx, or Myde, hadn't really asked for a friendly spar.

"Oh come on Lea, quit being such a party pooper. It was just a little water." Myde whimpered, sticking his head out over Ansem's shoulder.

The comment just seemed to make Axel madder.

"Just a little water? It was a freaking thirty foot wave, and you know how much I hate getting wet." He huffed. Water was slowly dripping from his hair and landed on his chest while it rose and fell. Although Myde knew that it would probably get him into some real trouble if he agitated the red head any further, he couldn't resist the opportunity for some witty banter.

"Yea, you hate it so much you won't even take a bath." Myde muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear, causing Sora, Riku, and Kairi to giggle.

"You little…" He suddenly stopped and noticed his guest for the first time. Lea leaned against a tree with his arms crossed.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat coughed up. What are you doing here Ansem?" The red head asked.

Ansem sighed. Now it was time to see exactly what side these boys were on. Honestly Ansem had hoped that they wouldn't be home. Then he could search the boy's house for information and not have to run the risk of encountering any of Organization XIII. But apparently they weren't that lucky.

"I am looking for your brother." Ansem said, careful to keep his emotions under wraps. Sora, Riku and the outers kept quite for they knew that it was best to let him handle this.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're not talking about the idiot hiding behind you." He said with a hint of a smile.

"Ienzo went ahead to the house. If you want to you can come with us. It's about time for us to go in anyway." He offered.

"It could be a trap." Riku whispered in his ear. The blond boy had a bad feeling about this. If the boys were on their side it would be too easy. They could be walking into a trap.

"It could be." The old man muttered back, but he knew that it wasn't.

Lea led the way through the final few hundred yards of trees. All the while Kairi was having trouble keeping her eyes to herself. It wasn't everyday that she was following a dripping wet half naked man, with a great body.

'Get a grip girl, you like Sora.' She thought.

'Yea and? Just because your taken doesn't mean you're dead or blind. So what he's cute? It's not like you're going to dump Sora for some other hottie, no pun intended.'

Kairi was going continue this conversation with herself when they came across a cottage on the rocks. It was good sized and looked neat and well loved. It came across as a very homely place, which was odd. If like Ansem said, three teenage boys lived there wouldn't it be…well, a pig sty?

Apparently Axel could see what she was thinking, because he leaned a little closer to her and offered a simple explanation.

"Ienzo's a bit of a neat freak." He said with a smirk.

"A Bit?" His brother asked.

"Just a little bit." Axel replied, causing both boys to bust out laughing at some private joke.

Kairi found it a little unnerving to be around them. Now they didn't seam so bad, but she couldn't shake what she had seen from before and the stories she had heard.

"Ienzo!" Axel called as he opened the large oak door.

"Kitchen!" A deep, intelligent voice called back.

Following the bother, Sora and company were led through the big house and into a medium sized kitchen that was, if at all possible, cleaner and more neat then the rest of the house.

Standing in front of the stove was a boy no older then Riku. He was wearing black pants and a white button down shirt that accented his well built frame.

'Damn,' Kairi thought, 'another cutie.'

"Are you staying for dinner?" Ienzo asked without even looking over his shoulder.

"Of course we're staying." His blond brother supplied, causing the purple haired kid to just shake his head.

"I wasn't talking to you." Ienzo replied, and although Myde had known that in the first place he insisted on continuing the banter.

"I'm sure if you ask Lea he'll say the same thing."

"Just go get dressed. Lea, you too. Just because you can't tell the difference between a pair of underwear and swim trunks doesn't mean that no one else can." The gray haired boy said, causing his brother to look down, shrug and walk out the door.

"So Ansem, are you staying for dinner?" He asked, still not taking his eyes off the stove.

"How do we know that this isn't a trap?" Riku demanded before Ansem even had an opportunity to reply.

Ienzo turned his head to the left to get a good look at Riku, who was glaring at him. It was obvious that the blond boy didn't trust him. Good. That trait would serve him well in life.

The former number six raised his eyebrow at the question.

"You don't." He said simply, not bothering to add that there was no way to prove it anyway.

"But it's not." Ansem commented, causing Ienzo to whip his entire body around in surprise. This man had no reason to trust him. No reason to want to see the good in him, and yet here he was, taking an unbelievable chance on Ienzo's humanity.

"You're right, it's not." He replied, his mouth forming one of his few true smiles.

* * *

"Sora." A voice from the door way called, causing the boy to turn. It was Lea, who just signaled for the boy to follow him.

Sora met him just outside the door way.

"Listen, this is going to be awkward enough as is. They have a lot to say to each other and no one wants to be the one to say it. The last thing they need is an audience.

"Myde has an ass load of video games and movies in the den. Why don't you see if your friends want to play." Lea said, while rubbing a towel through his sopping hair.

"Riku's right, this could be a trap. Why should I trust you?" He asked. Being too trusting had gotten him in trouble before, he wasn't going to just walk into a trap.

Lea got a hardened look in his eyes. It wasn't so much that he was mad, it was more that he didn't want to answer that question, but he would.

"As a nobody I was the last of my brothers to die. Each time one of them was destroyed, I felt nothing, and that scared me. Can you imagine Riku or Kairi dieing and not feeling sad? I don't want to be like that. Not again, not ever again.

"He may not show it, but Ienzo does feel guilty. He's not the kind of person who wears his heart on his sleeve, so if he's going to work through this, it isn't going to be with an audience."

Lea had put so much emotion into his voice that their was no doubt in Sora's mind that he meant every word.

It was several moment before either Ansem or Ienzo said anything. It was only after Sora left that Ienzo found the ability to speak.

"I had no intention of apologizing," Ienzo said, "but intentions do change."

Ansem sighed. It was time to ask the question that had consumed him ever since Kairi had put it into his head.

"Why did you do it?" He asked, his voice soft as if he were almost afraid of the answer.

"He told me that if I didn't he would be forced to use Lea and Myde in the experiments instead. I knew he would do it, and I couldn't fight him. I figured that it was them or me. I chose them but he didn't keep his side of the bargain, and by them I didn't care." Ienzo explained, gripping the side of the counter.

"You could have told me. I would have helped you." The man said, his voice cracking partway from shock and partway from guilt. All this had been going on right under his nose and he had not seen it. He had done nothing but blame the one person who had been like a second son to him for all those years.

"I did tell you! Who do you think it was that left those files on your desk? You had always taught us to be so careful, to put everything back exactly where it was found. Did you honestly believe that they were left out by mistake? And what would you have been able to do anyways? Xehanort had this meticulously planned. You wouldn't have been able to stop him if you tried. " Ienzo asked, as if this was truly that impossible.

"I…I could-" The old man stammered.

Ienzo sighed and bowed his head. He shook it from side to side for a moment before raising it again. The look he gave Ansem filled the scientist with dread. It was clear that the boy had something to say, but it was equally clear that he detested having to be the one to say it.

"Don't tell me you haven't guessed? You're smarter then this." He sighed.

"If you take out the "X" in Xehanort and rearrange the remaining letters, what do you get?" Ienzo continued.

"Thanroe." Ansem breathed. It would make perfect science.

Ansem was about to ask for more information but they were interrupted.

"Ienzo, when's dinner?" Myde asked from the door way.

"In about a minute," He answered, "and why are you wearing my shirt?"

* * *

You wouldn't believe the hustle I had to go through to get this out today.

Two things have been brought to my attention in reviews. I'll briefly explain things here but it be explained in detail latter in the story. (sorry no spoilers)

The light in KHII didn't kill Ansem. There are pathways through the light, just like the dark. He was just sent through one of them back to Radiant Garden.

I know Kairi lived with her grandmother in Radiant Garden, but that doesn't mean that that was the only member of her family she lived with.

It's a holiday. Show your gratefulness by reviewing.


	5. You ain’t seen nothing yet

Ienzo had never been to a formal dinner, for his father firmly believed that dinner was family time. Talking was encouraged, unless your mouth was full (something Myde had never quite learned). Even the day his mother died his father still forced the boys to attempt to talk about there day and make general conversation.

Today was different. It was hard to make conversation with Ansem still godsmacked by the revelation of Xehanort's true identity and everyone else picking at their food as if it were poisoned. What they needed was an icebreaker. Luckily for them that was Myde's specialty.

"You guys are lucky that it wasn't Lea's turn to cook tonight. Last time, he tried to make roasted duck and it come out looking like charcoal. That was scary." He said through a mouthful of food. It was a miracle anyone understood him at all, but unfortunately Sora did.

The young boy's eyes grew to the size of saucers. That comment had brought a disturbing image to his mind. In his imagination Sora could picture Donald on a spit over a fire.

"Myde!" Ienzo and Lea said in unison.

Realizing his mistake, the musician quickly tried to correct himself.

"I'm sure it was a different kind of duck. This one couldn't talk. I think." Myde said.

"Shut up!" Lea hissed while kicking his brother under the table.

"What- okay." He said as he saw the look Lea was giving him. It was clear that if Myde didn't take his brother's advice he would soon be worse off then that duck.

Riku stared for a moment at the exchanges around him. It was obvious to him that the brothers truly cared for each other. This kind of picking and teasing wasn't something that was easily forged. He should know.

Riku's relationship with his own brothers was rocky to say the least. The triplets were class A momma's boys who were very immature. They drove Riku crazy every time they came home from collage.

Suddenly Ienzo's face contorted into some mixture of shock, pain, and confusion.

"It can't be." He whispered to no one in particular, while getting up from his chair and running out the door.

No one ever just got up from the table with out excusing themselves, not in this house. That was about as big of a rule as sitting at the table to begin with. to Lea and Myde, Ienzo's departure wasn't normal or natural.

Lea and Myde looked at each other and followed their little brother out the back door and through the woods. Something was wrong, very wrong.

Not wanting to miss out on anything, Sora, Riku and the others followed suite.

* * *

Ienzo knew that this was impossible; people couldn't come back from the dead. But he also knew that his nose never lied. If he smelled Terra then he was there.

For several minuets thoughts soared in and out of his brain so fast that he barely had time to grasp them.

_'We never did know the out come of Terra's final battle. Maybe... just maybe.' _

Under any other circumstances at any other time Ienzo wouldn't even entertain the notion of his survival. How could he when even Terra himself knew the likelihood of his demise? When he had been so sure of his own failure that he left detailed instructions as to what to do if he died.

None of this made any sense! It just didn't. If Terra had been alive he would have said something. He wouldn't have left Ansem to suffer. He wouldn't have let his father blame himself for all those years.

But of course nothing really made any sense any more.

As Ienzo got closer to where his nose was leading him, he could pick out other scents. Besides the strong, slightly musky sent of Terra himself, there were the scents of charcoal, clay, and mold.

That just confused the boy even more. Charcoal was understandable; it just meant that Terra was drawling of had been recently. That wasn't unusual, but clay and mold? Terra always kept as clean as possible, and was severely allergic to mold. He had always been careful to keep it as far away from him as possible.

Ienzo kept running as fast as he could, too immersed in his own thoughts to notice the seven people following him. If he had he would have stopped them. The last thing Ienzo wanted was to let Ansem get hurt again, because if this was some sort of trick it would just shatter him.

The last time Ienzo had seen Ansem he has just accepted that Terra wasn't going to come back and it seemed that the situation hadn't changed much in nine years. Ienzo didn't know what had caused the old man more pain, Terra's death or what it had meant for the rest of his family.

Terra's death had led to Ansem's wife leaving him. It wasn't so much her son's death or her husband's reaction to it that forced her hand. It was the fact that Ansem could not find it in his heart to do the one thing Terra had asked him to.

Maybe it was a type of therapy for the old man or maybe it was he's way of seeking revenge for his son dieing. Either way Ansem had been unable to stop his research on the workings of the heart and everyone paid. Terra had said that there were some things humans were not meant to know and he was right. If only Ansem had listened…

But that was nether here nor there now. What mattered was the fact that Terra was back either as an apparition or for real and it was up to Ienzo to find out which before Ansem saw.

He owed Ansem, and Terra, that much at least.

* * *

After ten minutes of running Lea and Myde had led the gang to a clearing in the middle of the woods. It was the spot where the brothers used to play when they were little. The clearing hadn't been used for years and it showed. The ground was over run with dead leaves and grass. The decrepit look was completed by a fallen log in the center.

The only new thing about the area was the young man sitting on said log. He had permanent hat hair and a well-toned body. Even after all those years Lea would still recognize him. Terra. It didn't matter that the pyro had only met him a couple of times. Terra wasn't someone you could ever forget.

"Ienzo, is that you?" The armor less knight asked putting down his drawing pad. His voice was full of relief and confusion as he looked at the scientist. Something didn't add up inside Terra's mind.

The last time Terra had seen Ienzo he was just a child and now… and now he was almost grown. _How much time has passed? _He wondered, rationalizing that it must have been several years. It was a sobering thought.

If it truly had been as long as he suspected then everyone must have thought him dead. The pain that must have caused.

Terra wasn't an overly prideful person but he knew that his death would shatter his family. He had always been the golden boy, the treasure. He knew he was the glue that held his family together and the last thing he ever wanted was to hurt his parents.

"How long?" He asked, his voice no more then a broken little whisper.

Ienzo stared, ignoring the sound of the people around him. For now it was just him and Terra.

There was something about Terra's scent that Ienzo couldn't place or name. Whatever it was, Ienzo was almost positive that he had encountered it before, but he couldn't place exactly where. He was almost sure that this wasn't Terra. It may look, sound, smell and act like him but it wasn't him. The only left one question: just who or what was it?

"Terra?" Came a frightened little whisper. It was Ansem, who had just came up from the rear of the group.

"Dad?" Terra asked, his voice aghast, for the sight confirmed his fears. "You look… you look so _old_."

Ansem laughed a little and replied:

"That's because I _am_ old." He sighed and stepped forward, intending to hug his son.

In that instant Ienzo remembered.

"Ansem, don't!" He screamed, causing the scientist to turn and look at him in such a way it broke his heart.

"That's not Terra." He explained.

Everyone stood in shock for a moment. How could it not be Terra?

Terra sighed and closed his eyes.

"Okay Ienzo, I'll play along. If I'm not Terra then who am I?" he asked wearily.

"Not who, what. A gullom. A fake." Ienzo answered, watching this Terra peal farther and farther away from the Terra he had grown up with.

"A what?" He asked, clearly a little more then annoyed.

"A fake. You're not Terra and you never will be so quit pretending."

"How could you say that?" Terra breathed at his once called friend.

"Because it's true." Ienzo replied, his confidence growing. The more and more he talked the more and more he was sure that this was an imposter.

Terra opened his mouth to say something but stopped. His mouth had gone dry. He couldn't form the words to argue. He couldn't move a muscle. It was as if all the moisture in his body had evaporate leaving only a dry figurine that quickly tuned to dust before everyone's eyes.

Ansem felt his knees give way and his body fall. after all these years he had finally had reason for a flicker of hope and it was all fake. All dust. All dead.

"Damn it Morose, that was cruel, even for you." Ienzo said apparently to no one in particular.

"Cruel? Me? Baby, if you think that was cruel then you ain't seen nothing yet." she said while jumping down from the trees.

Morose was clad in a standard issue Organization XIII trench coat and she didn't show her face. It was her own policy. The less people knew about her the better, after all it wasn't like she was on the bad side for the fame.

"You almost had me fooled. Almost. If you hadn't helped Marluxia with his little project in Castle Oblivion, I never would have been able to guess that you were in on this." Ienzo said, his anger more then evident in his voice.

"My dolls have gotten so much better since then, wouldn't you agree?" She asked in a more then slightly sarcastic tone.

"I mean, this one even had Terra's memories. Took you so long to guess too. Hm… you never know maybe my next one will totally fool you. It wouldn't be hard to improve. This one was just a little _experiment_. The next one will be better. It would be fun to replace one of your friends or even your brothers and see how long it takes you to call them out. " She elaborated, stepping on the dolls ashes. It was clear that she just wanted to get a rise out of the boy. Usually, he would just ignore her, but seeing the broken look upon Ansem's face he knew that she could get away with this.

"You bitch. You will never perfect your little dolls, and you will never be able to play me for a fool again. Did you think I wouldn't be able to smell the clay and mold you use to create those monstrosities? They are poor imitations of those they try to replace." Ienzo snapped. He knew what he was saying was bogus but that didn't matter. What did matter was the fact that she may not be lying. If she could make hey dolls better then that…

"So it was the smell that gave it away. Thank you, that's all I needed." Morose said sounding almost chipper.

For once in his life Ienzo was confused. Why had she just thanked him?

For a moment it appeared that she was going to leave when she stopped, tuned and headed strait for Ienzo, not even giving his brothers time to react. Making sure her sharp finger nails pierced his skin, she grabbed him by the through and hoisted him a few inches in the air. After waiting a few seconds for the venom to wok it's way to the brain, she knew she could then ask him anything and he would answer completely truthful and to the best of his knowledge.

"Was there anything else that made my doll _imperfect, _anything at all?" She hissed, almost spiting out the word 'imperfect.'

Ienzo tied to fight it but it was no use. His mind was foggy and he couldn't think strait. Soon his mouth began moving, forming sounds, syllables, and words before Ienzo could even think to stop himself.

"The mannerisms were a little off, and the more and more I got closer to reviling his secret the more and more likely it became that Terra was saying those things." He said as if almost in a trance.

Morose let go and opened a portal to the dark. Before she walked through she tossed a small vile of dark green liquid to the floor beside Ienzo.

"Drink up. It's an antidote. I don't want you to die just yet." She said, finally leaving.

* * *

"You failed." Thanroe saidas she stepped through the dark portal.

He had watched her little excursion with interest. If she succeeded in fooling those idiots then they would have an invaluable tool. Morose could control her dolls mind and no one would even know it. It truly was an ingenuous plain. Too bad she had to go and fuck it up.

"What makes you think that?" She asked, seemingly unfazed by his harsh tone.

"They discovered your ruse." He answered simply.

That answer caused Morose to laugh.

"Don't tell me you actually believed that it would work. Thanroe, you may have plenty of practice on being a genius that's evil but you are completely inept at being an evil genius. They were meant to. I knew that doll could never fool them, not for long."

"Then why waist all your energy?"

Making one of those dolls drained a lot of energy from the girl. More energy then she was willing to waist on simple entertainment. Their had to be a reason.

"Easy, I wanted to see how long it would take for them to figure it out. I also wanted to find out exactly what gave it away. Why else would I use a truth potion on my nails? It was the smell, for only Ienzo could tell the difference. That little problem will take a while to fix but when I do they won't know what hit them." Venom was dropping from every word and Thanroe loved it. It just made her all the more dangerous.

Thanroe grabbed Morose by the arm and pulled her to him.

"I love it when you talk like that." He said in a husky voice.

Morose just raised an eyebrow and licked her lips before snakeing a hand around his neck and pulling his head down for a kiss.

"Well then baby, you ain't seen nothing yet."

* * *

Sorry it took so long to update, I have a lot going on. Of course it didn't exactly help that I only got two reviews (One of which was from my best friend whom I had to badger). Hn, oh well.

I hadn't even planed this chapter until I was writing the last one. But it's become one of my favorites so far (except chapters 14-16). I know I'm probably going to catch hell for giving the bad guy a girlfriend, but hay, evil people need love too. Right?

Random fact that I couldn't fit in the story: if you didn't already know Morose is a synonym for Maleficent . (No they're not the same person.)

P.S. thank you, blackrogue123 for being someone I don't know and reviewing every chapter.

Review or I will sic my cat on you. That's the best I can do because my dog's a pussy.


	6. Karma

Ventus sat in the cockpit of the Gummi ship _Sanzu. _He wasn't driving but it was a nice place to think. Ven knew that he had a lot to think on. The end was nearing, he could tell. He wasn't the only one. The entire atmosphere amongst the Chasers had became that of a funeral. Everyone knew that the upcoming battle with Thanroe would probably be their last.

If he didn't confess now he may never get the chance, but if he did it wrong or at the wrong time…

"Thinking of a way to confess your undying love for my sister?" Came a voice from the pilot's seat.

It was Aqua's younger sister, whom everyone called Stunts (at least when she was piloting a ship). The glint in her navy blue eyes told him that she was joking, but she was right, and that made him a little more than irritable.

The one thing about Stunts that nobody liked was that she was always right. At least when it came to her sister.

"No." He said, even though it was pointless.

"Yah, sure lie to me. It's not like I can tell the difference." She said sarcastically, pulling her violet curls into a pony tail.

Ven sighed. It truly was no use.

"Why don't you just admit it kid, you're head over heals for Aqua? It would save us all a whole lot of grief. Amusement too, but hey, who cares." She said with a shrug. Ven thought it rich that she was calling him kid. He was older then her.

Their was a long moment of silence.

"Hey Stunts?" Ven asked, his voice soft and slightly scared. If you squinted. Hard.

She looked up from the blinking control panels, and gave him a little nod, urging him to continue.

"Are we going to die?" He asked. It was clear to her that the thought terrified him. Hell, it scared the shit out of everyone. Why should he be any different? Maybe because he had unfinished business.

"You know I can't see into our futures. I don't know. If I did I would tell you. Trust me, I would. Why do you think I'm pushing you so hard to go ahead and say something? Don't you think it would be horrible if you were to die and she not know?" Stunts asked in a rare moment of maturity. It was clear that she meant every word. She meant it for her sister; for him. She truly was a kind person when she wasn't too busy being an immature jackass.

"What about you?" He asked, gazing absent mindedly out the window.

For a moment Stunts looked confused.

"What do you mean?" She asked while walking to the mini fridge in the corner.

"When are you going to admit your feelings for Terra." He muttered, just loud enough for her to hear. Stunts froze with her head still in the fridge. Was it that obvious?

"I'm not going to make a fool of myself trying to convince him that we're meant to be together. It wouldn't work anyway. I'm five years younger then he is, and no matter how long I wait or how old I get, his fucked up version of propriety will force him to see it as cradle robbing." She said, eyeing him carefully as she made her way back to the pilot's chair. She handed him an ice cream bar and waited for him to talk. Mmm. Sea salt.

"You could always tell him you saw you two together." He whispered after sucking on his ice cream for a moment. The very thought caused Stunts to burst out in laughter.

"Like that idiot ever paid any attention to my visions." She said through the remnants of her giggles. It was true though, Terra refused to let Stunts' visions determine any of the chaser's decisions. It was all brain power not the second sight.

"I dare you." He said after a few moments, still chewing on his wooden ice cream stick.

"What?" Stunts asked genuinely confused.

"If you admit to Terra you like him, I'll tell Aqua." He knew she wouldn't take it, but it was still fun to offer.

She stared at him for while as he waited for her to call his bluff. Instead she did something completely unexpected. She reached down and pressed the intercom button.

"Hey Terra?" She asked.

"What's up Stunts?" He replied, his voice slightly fuzzy over the intercom.

"Could you come and take over? I'm bushed and want to get some sleep." She asked giving Ven a devious look that told him she had something up her sleeve. Oh-oh. Just how far was she willing to go to get Ven to confess?

"Let me guess, all the fun parts have passed."

"How did you know?" She asked. It was a little to obvious that they were flirting. At least to Ven it was, Terra was always oblivious.

"Easy, we stopped doing flips."

"Hn." She said, slightly dejected. Stunts took pride in her driving skills. It wasn't as if there was very much else she could do to help.

"No problem, I'll be right up."

Just as the connection was about to go dead Stunts pushed the button again.

"Terra?" She asked, with a hint of nervousness in her voice. Oh God. Was she going to tell him over the intercom?

"Yes, Stunts?" He asked, a little weary, almost as if he knew what was to come.

"Their's something I want to say. Something important." She said, her nervousness growing. Oh God, oh God, she was going to do it. She was going to do it over the _intercom_!

"What is it?" He asked, the girl's suspenseful pause obviously waited on him.

"Ven thinks you're sexy."

"What!" was the blond boy's reply. Terra just laughed over the intercom.

"Well Ven, if you wait for me in the cock pit we just may be able to have a little fun." He said, clearly teasing.

All Ven could do was blush and sputter in anger, causing Stunts to smile. Tormenting him was fun.

* * *

Morose was excited. She had waited for this day for years. Personally, she could care less if the origination ever got the Castle that Never Was back. She had found the fifty story castle to be more then a little excessive.

The castle didn't matter, not to her. What did matter was what was inside the castle. Maleficent. The dark witch who cast aside her only apprentice. The same apprentice who was owed that knowledge as her birth right. Today she would get her revenge.

The eleven remaining members of organization XIII had gathered in the world that never was to reclaim what was rightfully theirs. They were all posed ready for a fight that would inevitably come.

They easily cut their way through the legions of heartless. In truth the effort the witch had put into the castle's defense was more then pathetic. It was disturbing. Did she want to die? Maybe or maybe the organization had simply gotten stronger. Yes. That was it. The organization had gotten stronger.

In less then an hour they had reached the tower keep. Maleficent's hold. The cowards hiding place, and the place were Morose would finally get her retribution. The witch had chosen the place of her own demise. Fitting for she had also chosen by who' s hands it was wrought.

It took many minutes and much magic to break down the thick metal door to the keep, but that didn't matter to Morose. It wasn't as if she was the one to put forth most of the effort anyways, and even if she had been it wouldn't matter. Nothing would matter as long as that bitch died by her hands.

Maleficent was standing as straight and uppity as ever, as if the intruders weren't worth her time. On her face was a look of disgust rather then fear. She had not seen Morose in twelve years and she had truly whished to never see her again. The girl had been cast aside for not knowing boundaries. For not recognizing limits. She had never realized that there was some dark magic that was not meant to be touched. Not even by a which as dark as Maleficent.

"You have a lot of nerve coming here." Maleficent snarled to the younger woman.

Morose just smiled her poisoned honey smile, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I have you to thank for that, Mother. Now, is there anything you whish to say? Any death bed confession? For you will die today, here, now by my hand, and I'd hate for you to pass with a heavy heart." Morose said with a genuine laugh.

Maleficent raised her stave ready for a fight, causing her daughter to smile.

"You know you won't win and yet you still fight. Well, you have my gratitude for making this interesting as well as fulfilling." Morose said still smiling, then added to her companions, "Don't interfere please. This is my kill. This has always been my kill."

* * *

The libratory was so cold and quiet that it sent shivers up Blaze's spine, despite the fact that as a shadow he wasn't suppose to be able to feel anything. He knew that if it was found out that he had any part in this little project phases two and three would be damn near impossible.

As much as the thought wrenched at his gut he had to take this chance. Aero could not do any of the real work, not for phase one at least. Blaze didn't mind being the trained monkey of this partnership, it was the least he could do.

Aero had cleaned up his mess when he couldn't, and she was still cleaning it up after ten years. He owed her.

There was no one in Ansem's lab but that wouldn't last, and the last thing Blaze needed was to get caught.

Nervously he looked around counting the security cameras. Three altogether. The security was a little excessive to him, or perhaps Blaze only thought that because he was the one trying to break into the lab.

Either way the thought forced him to simply shake his head at the camera.

Placing the small cloth wrapped package on the keyboard, he then proceeded deeper into the lab, until he came to what he was looking for. The room of awaking.

Blaze hadn't even bothered to run the program to open the door. He simply used his ill gotten shadow powers to sink into the great white room.

Lying against the far wall were remnants of violet armor. Armor that was poorly crafted; that hadn't done it's job.

A single tear slid down Blaze's cheek. He should have been the one to make the armor. If he had it would have worked. But instead, he had been one of the very reasons that Aqua had needed armor in the first place.

'Karma's a bitch' He thought through his guilt.

Putting aside the self pity and guilt, Blaze got to work. Calling forth a portal of darkness he waited until two figures stepped out. The twins. Poor fools. They had no clue that they had been chosen for a destiny far greater then they had first anticipated, and powers far greater then they had been shown.

"Where are we?" The oldest, the chosen child of darkness asked, brushing his blue-black hair from in front of his face. It was clear that he was uncomfortable with the situation.

"I need your help." Blaze answered, even though it wasn't the boy's question.

"Why should we help you, we don't even know you." The younger twin demanded.

"Because you're the only ones who can. You're the only ones with the power." He replied, pulling the hood of his cloak from his face. Blaze wanted the twins to see the sincerity in his eyes.

"What power?" the younger twin snarled.

"The power over light and darkness." Blaze replied. He didn't have time to argue with them. Aero had warned him that it would take quite a bit of persuasion for them to help but that didn't mean he had time to waste.

"How did you-" The younger twin began but he was cut off by his brother.

"We can't use our power anymore."

"Have you ever tried?" Blaze asked, trying as hard as he could to keep his patients.

The brothers looked at each other. It was clear that they hadn't. The oldest twin, Koichi, held out his hand palm up and tried as hard as he could. With in seconds he was holding a dense ball of pure darkness about the size of a baseball.

Taking his brother's lead Koji tried the same, and got the same results. A dense ball of light.

"Tell us what you want us to help you with then we'll decide." Koji said what both brothers had been thinking.

Blaze smiled, knowing that now it wouldn't take much to get them to help. But he knew the hard part was just beginning. All he had to do now was make sure his story didn't make him sound like a bad guy.

* * *

Myde may never have been the most intelligent person, especially when compared to his little brother, but he was smart enough to see that this was bad. if Morose knew where they were then they had to move. Apparently, he wasn't the first one to have that idea.

The moment the antidote had taken effect Ienzo had taken off like a bat out of hell. He had Lea and Myde each pack a bag of clothes and anything they couldn't bare to part with. Ienzo had focused most of his time on packing things of mom and dad's. Mom's cook books. Dad's favorite books. Things the boys couldn't live with out. The brother's family history.

During the packing frenzy all that Ansem, Sora, and the King could do was stay back and make sure that they weren't in the way.

It took less then ten minuets for them to pack and be on their way to the Gummi ship. Not much was said during the two hour hike except a hushed explanation from Ienzo.

"Morose is a witch with powers so dark she makes the darkness it's self look pleasant. She never became a nobody; she probably knew what fate would befall them. I wouldn't be surprised.

"As you saw, she's cruel and sadistic to the extent that she makes Larxene look like a cuddly kitten. Cunning, seaming, and unpredictable. Now do you see why we must leave as soon as possible? If we don't leave… well, I don't know what will happen but it won't be petty."

* * *

Miles away from Ansem, back in his lab, a delicate hand moved for the first time in ten years. The owner of that hand was still unconscious, and would still be for hours. That didn't matter. What did matter was the fact that she existed at all. The fact that she would soon see the light of day again.

Aqua would probably never know just how much was sacrificed so that she could live. But that's okay. It didn't matter. What did matter was that she had a second chance. She had a second chance to get things right.

* * *

Okay, sorry it took so long to update. I have a lot going on. EOCT's, moving, I was sick for half a week, make up work. And on top of all that my muse did something really shitty.

He gave me all these ideas for stuff to happen latter in the story but blocked this one. So I have chapters fifteenish going through my head and this one came out like blah.

By the way this story takes place ten years after the secret trailer.

P.S. So we finally found out who the twins are. (if you're not familiar with them, a little searching on Wikipedia can go a long way) and another secret is reveled. If you look real close. Can any one guess what it is?

P.P.S. There will be no Yaoi. Terra was just fucking with Ven. Bad choice of words, but you get the picture.


	7. The Unkindness of Reality

Through out the universe there are thousands of worlds each with their own customs and beliefs. Most think that their's is the only world out there. This belief makes them arrogant to varying degrees. The world that was by far the most arrogant was known as Delphi.

It is a lonely world covered mostly in forest and swamps. There is only one city and housed in the center of that city is the source of their great arrogance.

The people of Delphi do not live their own lives. In fact they are little more then wiling slaves to the creature they all worship. Every decision is made by an omnipotent being. The oracle decides everything from when and what to plant to when and whom will marry. The decisions of the human statue are never disputed and never wrong.

Every year the temple holds a festival. The children are each allowed to ask one question (a right usually reserved for adults with "important" questions).

One girl in particular did not know what to ask. To her, her life was perfect. Her mother and father loved her and although her sister was annoying as hell, she was still her best friend.

During her turn she asked nothing, but instead the oracle spoke directly to her first, something that in its self was unheard of.

"No matter how hard you try your sister can not escape her destiny. It is written in the stars. Knowing this will not stop you from trying. So if you want to free her you must find him that was never born. He that was created to be the source of the greatest power of the universe. He and only he, in some shape of form, can release her."

The words shook the girl to the core but she would not realize the significance of them for many months.

Just shy of a year after the oracle's horrifying prophecy their was another festival, this one more solemn and jubilant then the last one was by far. It was, in a way, both a funeral and a birth. The old oracle had used up it's life force to give the people answers. It was a heavy sacrifice that never went unnoticed but their always had to be an oracle. If not the very fabric of the universe would unravel (or so the natives believed).

No one outside of the temple had ever seen the ceremony that converted an ordinary person into an extraordinary being. That was the degree. The rule. But as most know children do not follow the rules.

The blue haired girl was standing just out side one of the many windows that looked into the oracles sanctum. And what she saw would haunt her dreams for the rest of her life. For this was the second nail in the coffin. This was the second piece of the puzzle. A puzzle which when completed would give her a perfect view of her destiny.

"I don't want this! I don't want this!" Screamed a dark haired boy, no older then Aqua herself. He was being held down by a two priest while a third had him by the hair forcing his head back. He head priest knelt down and spoke in a voice that was meant to be calming but in fact had the opposite effect.

"It's okay. It will soon be over. It will all be over." He said pouring a vile of liquid down the boys throat. The boy immediately went limp then stiffened until he was in a sitting position.

When the head priest moved from in front of him, Aqua could see his face. Forever still as the rest of him. Except the eyes. His sky blue eyes, although unmoving, were full of life; full of knowledge.

Unnatural knowledge.

* * *

Sleep is gentle and kind, for even when you are in the throes of a nightmare so vivid you wake drenched in sweat one thing is always true: the dream is not real. You will always wake eventually, and often not even remember the nightmare.

Reality is not so kind. It is always real. What takes place in reality can never be undone and often the things we wish most to forget can never be forgotten.

Aqua knew this, she knew it well, but there, wakening up on that old lumpy sofa she realized something: it didn't matter. None of it did. Wither or not Ansem's words were simply a figment of her imagination, didn't matter. Each syllable had been another crack in her already glass heart.

They had lost. Terra was dead. So was Ven and Aero and everyone else. She couldn't even remember the end of the battle, all she knew was that she was last. Aqua had watched Ven die. She had watched him beg, watched him plead with her to fix it. But she couldn't. She had saved Terra instead. She had done it for her sister, but Stunts was dead too.

It was all for nothing. Everything. When she heard that she screamed and ranted. She had called Ansem a liar. She had called him every name in the book, Including going so far as to indirectly insult Terra by insulting Ansem's parentage.

It had not been until Ansem and his acquaintances (who's names she didn't know) had left, that she realized a horribly shocking truth. Ansem had no reason to lie. Not to her. Not about Terra's death, and if he had been telling the truth about them…

She truly had failed.

Deep within her heart a cold snake grew, for she finally understood his words. She was alone. Forever alone.

* * *

In order to give the grieving girl some privacy, Sora, Riku and the others decided that it would be best to work with Tron and his search engines. Their was a lot that nether Mickey or Ansem knew. Things that had to be known.

Mostly it was just an excuse to keep busy. If they allowed their minds to wander they would wonder about the girl. How they would act in her position? What could they do to fix it, to make it all better?

The answer was nothing and they all knew it. Their was nothing they could do to help. They could not resurrect the dead. They could not turn back the hands of time. All they could do was help her move on with her life. It was a poor consolation, but it was all they could give.

"Is it just me, or have you guys noticed that no one can give us any real information. I mean what are the Chasers and who was that girl?" Riku wondered aloud.

"It's not polite to talk about people behind their backs. If you want to know so bad why not just ask?" A voice sounded from the doorway, causing everyone to turn and look.

It was the girl, just as they had seen her last, except instead of that bulky armor, she wore something else. The new outfit was just as conspicuous as the armor had been but only in a different way. The shirt was a black sleeveless turtle-neck with violet straps across the chest and a cinched torso and sleeve like gloves. She wore plain black shorts and leggings.

But the most noticeable thing about her was not her outfit, or even her blue hair as some might imagine. No it was her eyes. Eyes that were made for smiling showed nothing but grief. Oceans of grief.

"I understand that you have questions, but before I tell you my story I would appreciate it if I could at least know your names." Her voice had a sort of regality about it that Riku found to be slightly intimidating.

"I'm Riku."

"Hey, I'm Sora. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Kairi."

The girl looked slightly surprised at hearing Kairi's name but she obviously hid it well, for no one gave any hint that they noticed.

"I'm Aqua."

"Well since you know everyone here, I would greatly appreciative it if you tell us what happened. I'm sure everyone has questions." Ansem said, coming up from behind the group.

"What do you know?" She asked, fishing for a place to start.

"We know that Terra was Ansem's son and that he was a Chaser that disappeared ten years ago but that's it." Kairi said.

At the sound of the red head's words Aqua's head whipped around and her jaw almost literally dropped. Once she processed just what the girl's words meant she looked at Ansem out of the corner of her eye. The former DiZ was shaking his head slowly and mouthed something to her.

Riku was not the only one who caught this exchange but he was the only one with a good enough view to read the scientist's lips. _She doesn't know. Don't say anything. _What was it that Kairi didn't know? Did it have anything to do with the way Mss Izzy was acting back on Destiny Islands?

He was so caught up in his own wonderings that he almost didn't notice Aqua take a deep breath and begin her story.

"I was twelve when my sister and I ran away from home. It was either fight or run and even though I had a keyblade at this point, my skills were nowhere near par. So I chose to run. I knew I couldn't run far but I had to try. The day I left home a keyblade master had come to town. At the time he was one of thousands. Every world had at least one, some as many as a dozen.

"I was in a hurry to get away so I snuck aboard his Gummi ship. My sister and I barley even breathed in fear that we would be discovered. It didn't matter, as soon as we were in space he walked right over to our hiding spot and said; "You can come out now. The coast is clear."

"Eros took us to the Chaser's home…"

"That's got to be at least the third time someone's said something about the Chasers, but no one's told us what they are." Sora said, cutting her off.

"Remember how I said that every world had at least one keyblade master? Sometimes a keyblade would chose someone in a world that didn't need him. Maybe it was a peaceful world, or maybe they had too many keybladers already. These extra people could then become Chasers. Not all did, but some.

"Chasers lived on a different world and were always training. In short the Chasers were the best of the best…. "She trailed off then started again on her story.

"As I was saying, Eros took my sister and I to the Chaser's home world and introduced me to the leader of all keybladers: Thanroe."

She paused to catch her bearings fore telling this story so soon after learning of her friend's deaths was more then simply taxing. It was agony. But It had to be told and she was the only one who could.

"Thanroe? But I thought he was the bad guy." Commented Sora.

"He is." She replied, slightly annoyed with the interruption.

"Thanroe saw potential in me. He allowed me to become a Chaser and since he already had an apprentice, he placed my training under one of his students who had already completed his apprenticeship. I was lucky. One of the best things Thanroe did was to select the best Chaser to train me.

"While Terra and I worked on my swordsmanship, my sister studied mechanics. Within three years of us arriving there she was in charge of creating and maintaining a fleet of Gummi ships.

"Right around that time I finished my training and took on a trainee myself. Ven was an odd one. He just appeared one day with no memory and a lot of skill. Despite his lack of memory, he learned quickly.

"During the six months it took to complete his training, Terra, Ven, and I went on several missions and got quite a reputation…"

"A reputation? Ha! You guys were famous. No one thought of the Chasers with out thinking of you three." Lea injected, earning a slight sad smile from the warrior.

"One day Thanroe gave us a mission. He had gotten word that someone was intending on opening the way to Kingdome Hearts. Our job was to discover the identities of the seven princesses of heart and tell him so that he could send Chasers to protect them.

"Because time was of the essence, we split up and all went well. Then we got a message from Terra asking us to meet him as soon as possible. He had evidence that Thanroe was using our information for his own means. That _he _was the one planning on opening Kingdom Hearts. We could not allow that especially because of the means he was willing to use to do it.

"We told all the keybladers we knew of his tertiary. Some believed us, but some did not. Eventually the believers and non believers went to battle. In the end it was only Terra, Ven, and I against Thanroe and his apprentice. We fought as hard as we could but…"

She paused with a confused look on her face.

"But I can't remember the end. Obviously we lost but the last thing I remember was Ven getting attacked and Terra getting angry. _Very_ angry." She whispered almost more to herself then anyone.

"That's curious. A few years after all this I came across several people that I knew to be keybladers. Against my better judgment I asked them if they knew what happened to Terra. I knew that I probably didn't want to know, but I asked anyways.

"Their answer surprised me. They clamed to have no memory of the keyblades or Chasers or even Thanroe." Ansem said.

"I wonder if that has anything to do with why Aqua can't remember what how the fight ended." Sora said.

"That's a possibility." The scientist replied.

Aqua wasn't listing. She had too many things on her mind. What was she to do next? Why couldn't she remember?

"So what do we do now? We know that Thanroe's behind this latest group of attacks." The silvered haired one said.

"Then I will join you. He is only alive because I failed last time. It's my job to put it right."

"Is this about putting it right or getting revenge for what happened to your friends?" Riku asked. He was worried for her. If her reason's where for revenge then the darkness could take her and at her current state of mind she would not be able to fight it off. She would be consumed forever.

Aqua's ultramarine eyes narrowed at the comment. She did not like being denunciated by her friends let alone this boy who could barely remember her name.

"My motives are none of your concern. I am coming with you be it for revenge or to be a hero. What is your concern is how much of a bitch you will make me on this journey. This hasn't exactly been the best week ever for me so forgive me if I don't take kindly to a stranger's criticism . Now I'm going to get some supplies just let me know when you're ready."

Aqua walked out leaving a stunned crowd in her wake.

"She's not vary nice."

"Myde, shut up."

* * *

"Hey Aero, guess what." Blaze said as he appeared behind the oracle.

"What?" She asked as if humoring a small child. It had not been a good day for her. Their had been several petty disgusting people asking advice on how to become even more despicable. Because of the curse the bound her, she had to heed their wishes. Sure she had the option of advising in sub par riddles, but that was little consolation on being an unwilling accomplice.

"I have a new ability…. I can now become a shadow." He said, obviously proud of himself. Aero didn't know how to respond. Had he finally lost it?

"Umm, Blaze? You've been stuck like that for ten years."

"No. I mean I can change my outline so now I can look like anyone else's shadow. Do you know what this could mean?"

If they could, Aero's eyes would have widened to the diameter of desert plates as she processed the possibilities in her mind.

"Oh. This is unexpected. So who did you spy on first?"

"Aqua. I was kind of worried that she wouldn't be found."

"So how is she?" Aero asked solemnly. She could probably guess the answer but could still hope that it was different.

"Your didn't take to well to the fact that you're dead. She didn't like that the same could be said for your prince and Blondie." Their was a slight accusation in his voice, Aero felt it. She felt the same way, but what else could she do?

"Over all though, she took it better then we thought she would. No one attacked. She did call Ansem some pretty bad names and was a right bitch to that Riku kid, but not too off par for her on a bad day. " He paused for a moment then said in a whisper: "You think maybe deep down she knows the truth?"

"Maybe in her heart, but as long as she listens to her head we'll be fine."

* * *

In another world, not so far from our heroes…

A boy with blue-black hair tied back in a bandana sat on his bed with the lights off. He concentrated on the palm of his hand until a small ball of light appeared, about the size of a golf ball. Focusing all of his energy he forced the ball to become bigger and bigger until it was the size of a soft ball, a basketball, and finally a beach ball.

Tired, the boy closed his eyes and went to sleep with a triumphant grin on his face; unaware that across town his brother was doing the exact same thing.

* * *

Oddly enough, Aqua kind of reminds me of Ash from Final Fantasy XII. Just the was she talks and carries herself. (that has nothing to do with the story, just a random fact)

But seriously, I freaking love that girl. Finally a princess that is FAR from a damsel in distress.

For some reason this one doesn't seem up to par. Oh well.

So know we know that Aero is stunts. Don't think that's the only surprise I have in store for you.

Next time on Digimon, Digital Monsters…Oh, sorry wrong fandom.


	8. The Path To Answers

"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall… you know what, I don't have the time or the patients for all this poetry shit. Just show me the members of the Court of Kingdom Hearts." Morose was not in a good mood.

One of the entire reasons for even bothering to attack her mother (besides revenge) was for her Mother's Mirror. The same Mirror that had lead to her mother's banishment from their home world. No it was that witch's undue vanity that caused it. She was so obsessed with being 'the fairest of them all' when she wasn't much to begin with. Maybe if she had focused more on being the strongest of them all her fate would have been different.

But that was nether here nor there. What was relevant was that she had the mirror.

"I'm sorry my mistress, I will only be able to show you one member at a time." The regret in it's voice was obviously fake but she didn't care. The damn thing didn't have to like her it just had to do as it was told.

"Very well, then ignore the Princesses of Heart. We already know they are included, in fact my stepsister is already in our 'care' and her friends will soon join her."

"The redheaded one will be difficult to capture, my mistress."

"I know this. That is why she will be the last to be captured. Now I need to know who else will be joining this little party."

The mirror sighed. He really didn't want to help her but he didn't have a choice. The face on the mirror dissipated and in it's place was the face of a girl, so beautiful it would put Snow White to shame.

"Very good." Morose said, " You know what to do."

At her command thousands of heartless and nobodies charged through the darkness to her world. In the confusion no one noticed Morose's shadow join them.

* * *

**Forks, Washington.**

"Neisse, sweetie, it's time to go." A voice called from the doorway. The girl in questioned sighed.

_Do we have to?_

"Yes. It's time." Her father answered. Edward did not want to leave either. Forks would always have a special place in his long dead heart. It was the place where he meet the only person who's thoughts he could not hear. It was the place where he had married Bella and the place they had their only child.

It w as also one of the many places the Cullen's would not be able to visit for several decades, for fear of being recognized. Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, the Cullens weren't human. In fact, most of their kind would equate that to being called cattle.

Most vampires had no reservations about feasting on the blood of humans. The Cullens, on the other hand, took great strides not to be monsters. Because of this regard for human life they retained most of their human emotions. They could love, have friends and other attachments.

"Hey Ness, maybe if you ask nicely your dad will let you ride your bike with me." Said a husky voice from behind Edward.

Edward growled at Jacob's words. He hated that mechanical metal death trap but Neisse loved it and because of that Edward had allowed her to have it.

_Come on, leach. Do you really think I'd suggest it if it wasn't safe. Let her have a little fun once in a while. _

_Please Daddy. _Neisse made the voice in her head sound as pitiful as possible and put on her best puppy dog face.

"Aright. But if she crashes it will be on your head dog."

The teenager's moment of triumph was interrupted when the fierce growl of a wolf . It was Leah. Something was wrong. Within seconds all they were down the stairs and in the yard.

Swarms of black creatures were coming out of the forest. Emmet and Jasper were fighting along Leah but to little avail. For some reason they were resistant to even the strongest vampires.

Their was a horrible shredding sound as Jake phased into his wolf form. He quickly jumped over Emmet and Jasper to attack the creatures. Within seconds the only one not joining in on the fight was Neisse. She had never been taught how. Their had been no need.

She watched as one of the larger creatures lunged at Jake's heart.

"No!" Suddenly something appeared in her hand that made everyone, including the creatures, turn to face her.

Had the situation not been so dire, Jake would have doubled over in laughter at the sight. There was Neisse, his love, his world, wielding what looked to be a giant key as if it were a weapon.

What no one knew was that this was a keyblade. A mystical weapon that could put almost anything to shame. Each was unique as the wielder. The bronze headed girl's was covered in what appeared to be photographs.

The creatures lunged at her as if drawn to the keyblade. One particular creature was faster, knocking the girl through a dark portal into the depth of the unknown.

* * *

In space Kairi slept. It was not exactly what she would call a peaceful slumber. The princess was having one of the strangest dreams she could remember. Though it was thoroughly haunting, it was not a nightmare. It was a memory. A memory of a time she had no other recollection of.

_A man was running ahead of her as he held her hand. The path blurred. It was hard to tell if she was outside or in. Their were walls and floors as if inside a building but the walls were covered in moss and vines grew through the windows. _

_She was scared, but not of him. He could be trusted. She was more sure of that then anything. He would keep the bad man far away._

_"I'm scared." She told him. It was clear by the slight lisp that she couldn't be more then five or six. _

_He stopped and picked her up so that her face was level with his. For some odd reason Kairi could not see the man's face. _

_"Kairi look at me. I'll never let anything hurt you. You mean more to me then anything. He's not coming back. Not if he knows what's good for him." The deep rich voice got dark during the last sentence, almost as if it were a threat._

_"Can we go home now?" The little girl asked burring her head in his neck. Even with out being able to see his face she knew that his expression softened. _

_"Let's get you home to mom." He whispered as the little girl fell asleep to the slight sent of musk and charcoal._

Kairi bolted upright out of her bed. Somehow she knew that the dream was actually a memory of her life before Destiny Island. She racked her brain but could not remember the man's face. That confused her. If she meant as much to him as he said, then obviously she should be able to remember him.

She threw the covers off her legs and walked to the cockpit. Aqua was the only one there.

"Good. You're up. We're almost there. Could you wake your friends please?"

It seemed to Kairi that Aqua had taken extra care to be kind to her. For some reason while she had no qualms bossing the boys around and taking her grief out on them she reserved herself against treating Kairi the same way.

Kairi nodded and went to the boys room. Riku was spiraled out on the bottom bunk snoring lightly while Sora was half hanging off the top. The princess grinned. This would be too easy.

She garbed Sora's hand and pulled with all her might. Within seconds he came toppling to the floor with a "Thump" and a "Hey!"

The commotion was enough to wake Riku who started busting out laughing at the couple's antics.

"Kairi, what was that for?" Sora wined. He never was a good sport a wakening up.

"Aqua says we're almost there."

"Why are we going to the Coliseum first?" Riku asked.

"It was the only route open."

"Oh."

"Sora, Riku, I need your advice on something." Kairi said, and then proceeded to tell them of her dream. They listened carefully and it was obvious that they were very interested. Kairi's past had always been something of a mystery to them.

"You think it could be your dad?" Sora suggested.

Kairi shook her head. "He seemed too young."

"Do you think the 'bad man' was Thanroe?" Riku asked. Both his friends turned to stare at him as if he had grown an extra head.

"Think about it. Aqua said that Thanroe wanted to use the Princesses of Heart for his own reasons, and Kairi is a princess."

Sora and Kairi looked at each other for a moment. Riku was right it was a vary good possibility. Another thought that all three had but let go unsaid was: would Thanroe come back to finish what he started.

"Landing time!" Aqua's voice sounded over the intercom.

* * *

Over the past months the Coliseum had changed a lot. It no longer resembled a pile of rubble but instead was almost to it's former glory.

Aqua chose to stay outside while Sora introduced his friends. She was not ready to be in the company of others. She was not ready to pretend to be pleasant.

This was not the first time she had been here. In fact she had participated in several tournaments along with Terra and Ven. To her it was only yesterday. To everyone else it was a decade ago.

She was so lost in her own little world she did not realize that someone had come up behind her.

"Thinking on the good ol' days?" A familiar voice asked.

At first glance the boy did not appear to be more then fifteen. He was a hansom young man with brown hair, green eyes, and the face of an angel…or a god.

"Eros. You remember? But Ansem said…"

He smiled.

"I know of no one else that remembers. Whatever caused it took my keyblade from me. I can no longer call it forth, nor can the rest of them, but I still remember. It is not so easy to erase the memory of a god." He explained.

Aqua sighed at his words and then managed to roll her eyes at him.

"What?"

"You've been reading too many of your mother's turn of the century romance novels. You're starting to talk like your in one of them again." She said with a little laugh.

Eros wouldn't say it but that was the point of him talking funny was to get her to laugh. She severally needed to.

"But seriously. I came to talk to you for a reason. Hades' underdrome has been opened and their's a tournament going on. You need to enter. The first prize is a chaser's ring. I don't know how he got it just that he did."

"Alright. Once they've had their reunion I'll tell them."

"So what do you think of them?" The young god asked.

"The kids? They're nice enough. A little too naive maybe."

"I wonder if the girl knows that she's almost the entire reason behind the keyblade war?" He mused aloud.

Aqua shook her head.

"If it wasn't her it would have been someone else. He was too much of a classic knight to turn away from an injustice."

Little did they know, Riku was listening to their entire conversation from behind one of several giant stone pillars.

* * *

"So where's the girl?" Aero asked.

"I took her to Radiant Garden. She should be safe there. What I want to know what is the 'Court of Kingdom Hearts?" The shadow replied, perfectly mocking Morose's sugar-and-poisoned-honey voice.

All was silent for moment before Aero replied.

"I don't know."

Blaze's jaw dropped. How could their be anything Aero not know? Didn't that kind of defeat the purpose of her being the oracle?

"Part two of our plain is close at hand. How ready are we for part three?" She asked, making it clear that she wanted to change the subject.

"The twins are set. It could happen now if we wanted. All you have to do is lead them to the right place. But I was thinking if you lead them to some place like Sunset Horizons, a place equally dark and light, wouldn't it take less energy? Then we could move on to part four even quicker."

"I'll do it." The answer was a little too quick. Blaze smiled. She was so predictable.

* * *

The underdrome tournament was easy to say the least. Ten battles of entry level heartless against three keyblade masters. They sliced through the enemy with an almost unnatural ease. When all enemies were dispatched, Hades appeared.

"Okay so you little twerps got past my heartless. I'm surprised. But the prize isn't yours yet."

"Hades, this was a ten round tournament. We beat them all so we won. Now give us the ring!" Aqua yelled. Most people in the stands were impressed. Not many people had the nerve to stand up to the lord of the dead like that.

"Shese. Fine you can have it. If you survive!"

With a snap of his blue fingers, a strange creature appeared. It was nether nobody nor heartless but it was within that family.

The creature roared and in that moment it looked vaguely kin to an irritable grizzly. It's amber eyes showed intelligence, showed conciseness, showed fear. It did not want this but it could not stop itself. So the task fell upon the keybladers, and the only way to do that was to put it out of it's misery.

All three attacked at once but it had little effect on the creature but to make it angry. In turn it decided to make it's attackers angry. In a flash it lunged into the stands straight for a certain redheaded girl.

As she saw the creature come towards her with all the ferocity of a mother bear, Kairi knew their was little she could do. She had no keyblade. The one Riku had loaned her so long ago was simply that, a loner. The girl closed her eyes, ready for death, when instead she was assaulted not by the creature but by a memory.

_"How did you get so strong?" She asked in the same lispy voice as before._

_"I eat all my veggies and get plenty of rest." The same rich voice from before said teasingly._

_"Besides that."_

_"Well you see this ring?" He asked holding out his hand. "If I twist it something special happens."_

Their was obviously more to the memory then that for it simply cut off, but that didn't matter. It had given her the information she needed.

Almost without realizing what she was doing, Kairi grabbed the ring her mother had given her and twisted. Top half spun around and continued to spin long after it should have stopped. With a slight hum, it expanded and continued to expand until Kairi was covered head to toe in metal. It was armor. An entire suit complete with a keyblade. It was the same flowery keyblade Riku had given her but it was different somehow. It was real. It was hers.

Determined not to be the victim, Kairi jumped straight in the air and landed on the creature's back. Driving the keyblade between the beast's shoulder blades, she did what no one else could.

Darkness surrounded the still form of the creature and in it's place was a dark haired young man.

"Kairi how did you…?" Sora asked. Everyone stared at her in awe.

"Where did you get the ring?" Aqua asked. Her eyes didn't even move. She was staring at the young man waiting to see if he could be trusted or not. She could not tell if he was unconscious or if he was simply out of it.

"My mom gave it to me." To say that the girl was a little confused was an understatement. How did Aqua know about the ring?

"It's a Chaser's ring. How do you think we got so strong? They weren't used often, but when they were we could hardly be beaten. Not all the Chasers had them, actually their's only suppose to be about three dozen or so in existence."

"It's unexpected that you should have one, but not unpredictable." A new voice said from behind them. Someone new was standing beside Eros. He had blond hair and hazel eyes. From the looks of him, to say that he must be a god as well would not be too far off.

"What do you mean?" Kairi asked, much more then simply curious. But the boy just smiled and ignored her.

"Apollo. How many times do I have to tell you? If you're just going to leave them hanging like that why tell them anything in the first place?" The god of prophecy left that question ignored as well and walked over to Aqua and set something in her hand.

"I went ahead and got this for you from Hot Head. I knew you wouldn't mind."

The small silver ring sat perfectly in the crook of her palm for a second before it begin to glow and hover. After hovering for maybe ten seconds the ring shot out to Aqua's right and into Riku's hands. Aqua's eyes bulged. In all her five years of being a Chaser she had never seen a ring do anything like that.

"Guess it's yours now." Apollo said nonchalantly before turning to walk away. About ten paces away he stopped and turned back slightly.

"You know pretty soon the Highwind won't be big enough for you anymore. Your party will get bigger. Much bigger. It wouldn't be a bad idea for you to stop by Delphy to pick up the Sanzu, it may just come in handy."

"What he hell would the Sanzu be doing at Delphy?" The shock and anger was more then evident in her voice. The Sanzu was Aero's pride and joy. Her flagship. The kind of vassal that would put Cid's wildest imaginings to shame. The only way it would be at Delphy is if Aero herself flew it there. And that would never happen. Ever.

The second the sisters had left that world seven-no seventeen- years ago they promised that they would never set foot on it again come hell or high water.

The god of prophesy just shrugged. "Whatever. It's your choice."

The dark haired boy moaned and came too.

"Rose? Jazz? Ness? Edward? Anyone?" He asked still groggy.

"You okay? You were unconscious for while." Sora asked bending level to his face. The words sent a just of surprise down the dark haired boy's spine. Him unconscious? Impossible. It had been decades since he had even slept.

"I'm cool. I'm Emmet by the way."

Once the introductions were complete, Emmet pretended to look around, even though he knew he would not find what he was looking for.

"You wouldn't happen to know where my family is would you?"

"You're the only one we've seen."

"The oracle might know." Apollo suggested from over Sora's shoulder. "It does know almost everything, and since you're already going…"

"I never said we were going!!!" Aqua shouted viperously, almost ready to hit the immortal.

"I'm sure you have questions of your own. Why not ask?" He said slyly. It was clear he knew something she didn't but at this point she didn't care.

"I would much rather discover them on my own." She hissed.

"Whatever. Like I said it's your choice."

Eros stood watching the entire exchange. Aqua was being more then slightly unreasonable but not with out merit. He waited until his uncle was completely gone before turning to his friend.

"I'm sorry about that. You know how people like him are. Those that can see the future. They tell you just enough to get you interested…or angry. Aero was the same." He hadn't meant to say the last part aloud but he did.

After a moment's award silence he was resolved to give her the advice he had wanted to since Apollo started talking.

"You hate that place, that's understandable but if Apollo spent that much energy trying to get you to go, you probably should."

Eros turned and within the space of time it took to blink was gone. Everyone was silent for a moment until they felt it was the right time to seek.

"What was that about?" Riku asked, slightly irritated. He was getting tired of all the secrets and all the meaningless hints but he knew what it was like having something you would rather not confess so he didn't press the issue.

Aqua shook her head sadly back and forth.

"I'll tell you on the way."

* * *

Damn. I never thought I would get this one done.

"Court of Kingdom Hearts" what's that? Only the beginnings of the major plot. Hee hee. Finally. But I have to assemble the entire cast before we can move onto act two.

I know that a lot of people are really ticked at me for making Emmet a heartless thing (actually their called rebirths but that's a secret okay) but I had to. Emmet is one of my favorite Cullens along with Alice, Jasper, Edward, Bella, Neisse, Carlisle, Esme, Rose and don't even get me started on the wolves.

Seriously though, this one was much longer then my other ones. I spent all weekend on it (and number seven) and wanted to finish it before school on Monday. Didn't happen. Actually it's almost eleven and I'm just now getting it finished.

P.S. for those of you who don't know Eros is the Greek version of cupid, but he don't ware a diaper. In fact one legend mentioned that he fell in love and got married (different versions of the legend have different endings) so that puts him at at least fifteen or so. Hey it was ancient Greece.


	9. Lock of Darkness, Key of Light

Aqua was fuming. She had never wanted to even think of her home world again but now she found herself inputting the quadrants into the Gummi ship's navi computer. The young woman would have given anything not to be going to her own version of hell but she could not help it.

Apollo's hints had stirred up too many questions within her to be ignored. What would the oracle have to say that could possible be worth all this pain? Most likely nothing, but at least she would get the Sanzu. It would be nice to have something like that of her sister's and the ship it's self would no dubitably come in handy.

The Sanzu was a work of art; a machine with so many tricks up it's sleeves that Aqua doubted that even Aero herself knew them all. It could carry at least twenty people comfortably, split into three separate ships, and only needed two people to pilot the craft. (One if it was Aero)

"Is someone going to explain what exactly that flake was talking about?" The new guy-Emmett- said.

Aqua couldn't help but give a little laugh. She had thought nearly the same thing about the god, she just would have put it a little differently. It was apparent to her that Emmett wasn't the sort to actually think about what he said, instead, he probably said exactly what came to mind. It was truly refreshing, if not a little over blunt.

"Remember how I told you that my sister and I ran away from home?" She asked, fishing out exactly what her companions remembered.

"Yes." Kairi said, speaking for her and her friends.

At the same time Emmett gave the opposite response.

"We'll fill you in latter." Riku whispered, causing Aqua to give a little smile of gratitude. The only thing she would have hated to do more then go to Delphy is to have to tell the whole sorry tail once again.

"The world I grew up on, Delphy, would probably have gown unnoticed by everyone if it wasn't for the Oracle. Anyone with any psychic ability at all was forced to take a turn. Although now that I think back on it, most of those who took a turn were probably just good at guessing rather then actually clairvoyant. It was considered an honor above any other to be selected but that was only because no one knew the truth.

"One day I saw the inauguration of a new oracle through the window. I wasn't suppose to be around the temple at the time but I was young. I watched as they held a little boy, no older then myself down and shove a potion down his through.

"That potion is what turned him into the statue everyone sees. You see, to everyone else the oracle is just a statue that can talk. But as I learned that day, it is more then that: It's hell for those chosen."

"What's this have to do with why you ran away?" Sora asked, earning him a slap on the back of the head by Kari. That boy had less tact then a porcupine.

"Unlike everyone else, my sister wasn't just good at guessing things, she really could see the future. Aero knew things that no one could possibly know.

"When I saw what happened to that boy, I knew I had to get her out of there; I had to save her from that."

"Wow." Sora whispered.

"So do you think the oracle Apollo wants you to go see could be your sister?" Kairi was trying vary hard not bring up things that would hurt Aqua any more then she was already hurting, but the princess was genially curious.

Aqua just shook her head slowly.

"It's impossible for the same reason the general public was unaware of what's going on. For some reason no oracle lasted longer then about two years, sometimes three. Then they died and someone else was selected to replace them."

Everyone besides Aqua had a mask of horror upon their faces.

"I know without a doubt that my sister is dead." The sorrow in the mystic warrior's voice could not be denied.

Grief pored off her in waves so strong that for a second Kairi was tempted to hug the girl, but decided against it. Something told the red head that the best thing she could do for her new friend was let her greave in peace.

* * *

Delphy was a warm murky place full of swamps and bogs. It was almost never clear weather and Emmett Cullen could not have been happier.

The first rule of being a Cullen was to not attract unwanted attention. Going out in the sun in the middle of town on some odd backwater world would be the worst thing. He didn't need these hicks thinking he was some sort of god just because he glittered in the sunlight and there was no way in hell that he was staying on the ship. There was too many questions for him to just give a list to the little punks and hope they get it right.

It was with this mindset that the vampire found himself trudging up a cobblestone path in a city very reminiscent of ancient Greece.

Every step she took in her hometown sent a knife through Aqua's heart. It was agony being back here, and she was beginning to think that that was all the future was going to hold for her.

"You have a lot of nerve coming here." A voice said from Aqua's left. She didn't even have to look to identify who the voice belonged to. It took all the warrior had not to turn and assault the speaker, but she decided it was best to try the high route.

"I'm not here to cause trouble, I was just told Aero left something here for me." Her inner strain was more then event in her voice.

The middle aged woman gave Aqua a calculating look, but the chaser simply stared strait ahead. In fact the blue haired young woman hadn't even looked at the seeker.

"She left a very sophisticated piece of equipment here and I want it." Aqua said through gritted teeth as her friends looked on wondering who this woman was. She reminded them of Maleficent even though they looked nothing alike.

"I know what a damn Gummi ship is! Take it. Gods know we've tried to sell it but that doesn't work if you can't get in it. It keeps asking for some sort of password."

Knowing her sister, it was probably something stupid that not a soul in there right mind would guess. Luckily there was a backdoor, a way around the passwords. Aero put the same one on all her ships, only because she had a tendency to forget the code or get then mixed up.

"I can get into it. Where is it?"

"I'll show you." The woman said leading the group to the south east.

When the mysterious woman was out of ear-but not eye-shot Rikku asked what everyone was wondering.

"Who is she?"

"My Mother." The curt reply made it obviously time to drop the subject

"So that's where she gets the bitchiness from." Myde whispered to his brothers as the followed well behind the rest of the grope.

"Not every trait is hereditary." Ienzo reminded him.

"Yah, both our parents were smart and look how you turned out." Lea continued.

* * *

To say Neisse Cullen was scared was an understatement. All her life she had lived in the same small town surrounded by the same people. Now she unexplainably found herself in one of the oddest towns she could imagine surrounded by strangers.

She hadn't said a word since she had woken up in a small room surrounded by piles of books, drawling boards, and computer equipment. At first she was all alone but then four strangers entered, lead by a tainted man with white hair. He seemed vary kind and Neisse was tempted to trust him.

"Ah good, you're awake."

The girl was stoic and silent to the point that had she not been sitting up with her eyes open, the old man may have thought she was still asleep. Ansem could not tell if the girl was able to talk or if she could even understand his words.

Ansem went on to explain the situation to her and as he did so he began to realize that the girl understood every word he was saying. The scientist watched as the truth sunk in; as the new comer realized that her world was gone and her family more then likely was gone with it.

Ansem could easily sympathize with the girl. The same day she realized that Terra wasn't coming home his wife had begged him to leave; to take the few things in there life worth saving and hide where Thanroe could never find them, but he refused to leave his life's work. It was infantile and petty but it was his way at getting back at there son for leaving, for dieing.

His wife could not stand by his choice, for she saw it for what it truly was and she left taking the one thing that meant the most to both of them with her.

After Ansem had finished his explanation to the girl he turned to leave but stopped with his hand on the door frame.

"If you need anything just need to ask. I'm called Ansem, by the way."

The girl looked at him for a moment, before replying.

"I'm Neisse."

* * *

"Damn it! It's not working." Aqua huffed, after trying the back door for what must have been the millionth time. For some reason the one password that was always suppose to work didn't. Aero had obviously changed it but the real question was why.

Like all her passwords the backdoor wasn't something easily guessed, so it wasn't for security reasons.

"I thought you said you could get in it." The old woman sneered, trying to bait her daughter, but Aqua remained silent.

"Maybe you could ask the oracle. It might just tell you what you want to know."

With a great hollow thump Aqua's fits hit the vassal's metal siding. .

"If the oracle knows so much then why did you not go to it and ask for the passwords. Then you could have sold it, not that it was your's to barter."

The woman just shrugged.

"I did, but I didn't understand the answer. 'The wind's greatest desire will no longer grant you yours.'"

Aqua gave a little snort as a tear slid down her face. The master password was a simple five letter word. Terra. The one thing Aero had always wanted but could never have.

During her brief second in her own world Aqua did not notice her mother come up behind her and put her hand on the girl's sunken shoulder.

"Let it go. She's with the gods now." The words she spoke where probably the first the woman had spoken as an actually mother but it was too late. She had lost that right fifteen years past.

"Screw your gods. All they have ever done is destroy. Do you even know what is done to innocents' so that people like you don't have to take responsibility for your own actions; so that you may be content to let some phantom being tell you every thing from when to plaint your crops to whom to marry?

"No, you don't. And you don't care. All you ever cared about was the prestige giving up you child to the gods would bring. You didn't care what she was giving up." Aqua was yelling, something that her companions could tell wasn't usual for their teal hared friend. No one made a move to calm her. It was obvious that getting these issues off her chest was the only way she was ever going to begin to heal.

"Did you know that Aero was the best mechanic out of all the hundreds and hundreds of worlds? Or that she used to tell me stories of what her future would be like for with the one man she would ever love?"

Their was several moments ringing silence before the woman said something that would shatter her daughter's world for the umpteenth time in the past few days.

"Aqua, Aero came home of her own free will. No one forced her to do anything."

In that moment Aqua looked so small, so venerable.

"Why? Why would she do that?" She breathed.

"I can't answer that. I asked her the same thing but she wouldn't tell me. There is one person that may be able to tell you. If you can ask right."

* * *

"Blaze, are you ready? After this we won't be able to talk as much, so you need to know what you're suppose to be doing." Aero whispered, her voice already beginning to take on the mystic quality it always did when she was expecting 'gusts.' If she had had any say in it, she would have told them all to go to hell, but seeing as those damn enchantments bound her so tight, in truth she had no choice.

"I know, we've been over this a million times…" He began but was quickly cut off.

"Good. They come. Now go." He really couldn't tell if it was irritability or excitement that was causing his friend to be so rude, but he listened none the less.

The moment the last whips of his shadow the door flew open. Aqua burst in without a modicum of ceremony that other natives would show. It was clear that she was angry and that the oracle was to be her outlet. If she could have, Aero would have laughed. Here Aqua was ready to defend her sister's memory to the vary thing that had taken her life, which unbeknownst to her was actually said sister. The entire situation was vary Shakespearean.

"You may each ask one question and one question only, so you best make it count." Aero said in the raspy voice she was forced to use; the same voice which hid her identity from the one person who she wanted to know it.

"It would be prudent for the Chaser to hold her question for last, seeing as it will take the longest to answer." She added, trying to bide her time.

As Aqua fumed, Emmett stepped forward. Aero could tell that he didn't like the idea of having to almost literally beg for information, so she speared him the indignity.

"I cannot speak for the rest of your family, for I do not know, but your niece is at a place called Radiant Gardens safe and sound."

Aqua had spent her last five conscious years going against her native religion. She had committed every kind of blasphemy and gone against everything she had once held sacred. She didn't think that adding one more 'sin' to her list wasn't going to hurt, so she did the one thing everyone does at some point in there lives: she cut in line.

"Why did she do it? Did she not realize what she was giving up? Did she not care? What could have possibly drove her back to this hell whole?" Aqua was throwing the biggest fit Aero had thought she would never see. Her sister had always been dignified, sure she had fought and argued and bickered, but never like this. Never in her life had she ever come so close to looking like a mad woman.

"Did I not say that I would only answer one question? You asked many. Which do you truly want the answer too?" Aero ignored the fact that all the questions her sister had asked were in essence the same.

Of all the time she had spent paining her escape, she knew this was the one variable; the one thing she could not plain. Seeing as it was physically impossible for her to come straight out and tell her sister all her secrets or even hint too strongly at them Aero was in a bit of a jam.

At first she had intended to drop enough subtle hints that Aqua would figure it out and presto, no more miss statue. Didn't work that way. The main flaw in her ingenious plain was she had assumed that Aqua would have come with a cool demeanor as she did most everything.

What she had gotten was the opposite; a bicthing , raging harpy. There was nothing that could be said to calm Aqua as long as she still believed her sister dead. It was a good thing Aero was relatively good at thinking on her feet, so to speak, or this might just be for naught.

There was only one thing left to do and it was the simplest trick in any war-mage's book: use your opponents' weakness against them to the point it becomes your strength.

"What's wrong Oh Great Tempered One? Can you not decide?" She asked using the sarcastic nickname she had for her sister when she threw those rare fits. The ploy worked. Aqua was seeing red.

She grabbed the oracle by the shoulders and began to shake her.

"Haven't you taken enough from me you stupid piece of--" One sight caught her attention enough for her to realize that this was not the enemy. It was a single violet ringlet the had come lose from the oracle's thick white cloak.

Aqua sank to her knees in front of the statue and gently lowered the hood. Now unveiled, she could see the stoic face of her sister. Aero's face was as expressionless as blank paper but her eyes told a different story. Aqua couldn't read the emotions running behind her sisters navy orbs. Pride? Relief? Worry? Whatever it was, the girl was undoubtedly inside the fleshy statue.

"Oh Aero, how do we fix this?" She whispered, not truly expecting an answer.

"How do you release any lock of darkness?"

Aqua didn't understand. A lock of darkness? Once the inevitable epiphany struck she gave her first true smile of the week. A lock. So simple. So genius.

Calling forth her keyblade she had it do what it was made to do. The click of the lock had to have been the greatest sound she had ever heard.

"Hi sissy." The girl whispered, causing Aqua to scoop her up in a bear hug that would have made Emmett proud.

"Can't breath." Aqua immediately let her go.

"Just let me get up and then we'll leave." Aero said as she tried to lean forward to catch her bearings. Apparently something was wrong because she simply fell forward.

"Well damn." She muttered into the cloth of her cloak. "Umm… a little help here?"

"What's wrong?"

"You wouldn't believe how freaking stiff I am. Thank god they didn't sit me oriental style or my legs would be screwed. Permanently."

* * *

In the end Emmett wound up carrying her out the window, over the brick fence and into the woods surrounding the long path that lead to the temple. The acolytes would not notice one less person leaving the sanctum, but they would notice one carrying the oracle out over his shoulders. And although they would probably win, it was truly far better to avoid the fight altogether.

They all decided to meet back up at the ship. It had taken quite a bit of convening to get the others to agree to this plain. They were concerned that Emmett would not be able to carry the girl the entire way. Phh. Please. In fact, because Aero already knew about Emmett's 'condition' they were able to make it in mere minuets. It would take the others about an hour to make the long trek back, maybe half if they all ran the entire way but that was unlikely considering the amount to civilians that were in the group.

With all the time to spare, Aero was able to convince the vampire to go on a miniature hunting excursion. It wouldn't do to have him be so hungry he takes a bite out of some one on the ship.

While he hunted, Aero sat on the ground trying to work the kinks out of her muscles. Slowly she would move her arms as far as she could (which wasn't much at all). When her arms would start to protest too much, she would move her legs, then her torso and then she would start all over.

Soon the others arrived they were ready to go.

"So what's the password; your sister must have tried everything." Riku asked.

"It was something the old bitch would never guess: Kostose the home of the chasers." She replied, perhaps a little over smug as the door to the vassal opened.

"I tried Kostose three times!" Aqua snapped indignantly, causing her sister to give her a slightly blank look.

"Three times? Um… you have heard of Einstein's theory of insanity…" She cut off mid sentence at the look her sister was shooting at her. Good to see some things haven't changed a bit.

"Actually, the password wasn't Kostose. It was 'something the old bitch would never guess: Kostose.'"

Every single one of her companions were staring at her as if she was the one who was insane.

"If I had set it to something predictable, you would have gotten the Sanzu and left me. And this way there was no risk of someone actually saying the password while they were trying to sell it or something."

Aqua just rolled her eyes and ushered everyone inside.

From the outside the Sanzu had not been an overly large but on the inside was a different matter entirely. The inside included seven bedrooms, two baths (one for the girls, one for the guys), a library, a big living room, a gym, kitchen, dining room and the cockpit. The one thing about the Sanzu that make it so special was that it was as big as it needed to be.

"This isn't possible. With the outside dimensions there is no way all this could fit." Ienzo muttered, truly confused for once.

Aero just smiled a chestier grin.

"Oh it's possible, but I won't tell you how. Not even Aqua knows how I do it. But I will give you a little hint. It's not magic. Not really." She said as she limped over to the cockpit and sat down. It was clear that she was still extremely stiff by the way she moved like an old women, but she would not let anyone help her. In fact the only reason she had allowed herself to be carried in the first place was that she had no choice then. She did now.

She pushed a button on the control panel at the same time she slipped on a head set complete with speaker.

"Shuttle Highwind, this is Shuttle Sanzu. What is you're agenda." She was being very businesslike and professional for some reason. It was unnatural.

"Sora is that you?" Asked a squeaky voice from the other end.

"Wait a second. Let me turn on the video. Ah there we go." Aero said. "Sorry about that, it's just something a saw in a movie once and I've always wanted to try it."

"By golly, is that you Aero."

"The one and only. I just wanted to let you know we're all safe and sound."

"Oh, well we're you goin' next?" Mickey asked with a worried expression.

Aero turned the pilots' swivel chair around to give her friends a look that said 'well…' She wanted them to choose.

"Well, what paths are open?" Myde said, asking his first intelligent question of the adventure.

Aero gave a little snort.

"You don't worry about that. If there's not a path open to where you want to go then the Sanzu will make one."

Before anyone else had a chance to answer, Emmett spoke up.

"We're going to that Radiant Garden place. I'm going to find Neisse."

"Well you heard the man. Radiant Garden it is then." Aero said with a little laugh. "By the way Mickey, you may want to get back to Disney Castle pretty soon."

Panic shoot through his face.

"Why?"

"Nothing bad." The reply was filled with good nature, but it was clear she wasn't saying anything more on the subject.

As soon as she cut the monitor off Aero got up and started walking out the cockpit but was stopped by her sister's voice.

"Were do you think you're going?"

"To have a nice long soak. That should get rid of my tin-manitis." The seer replied.

"Don't you think you owe us and explanation or two?"

Aero stopped and looked her sister straight in the eye.

"I do, don't I?" She replied and kept on walking, giving no indication that those explanations were forthcoming.

* * *

_**IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!**_

It seams as if the Rebirth/Unbirth thing has everyone confused. I'll try to clear it up a bit.

First lets review some KH cannon;

_**1:**_ The name 'Heartless' is a misnomer. In fact heartless are the disembodied hearts of people.

_**2: **_Nobodies are the body and soul that is left by a heartless.

Now let's take a little trip into my fanon.

_**1: **_In my story Nobodies can be further divided. When this happens, the body stays a nobody and the soul becomes an unbirth.

_**2: **_You can't tell the difference form a heartless with a soul and one with out.

_**3: **_When a heartless and it's corresponding nobody are destroyed they are able to become whole again. That is how entire worlds and their inhabitants were able to come back at the end of KHI and KHII.

_**4: **_Naturally the soul goes into the heart and the heart goes into the body.

_**5. **_When a heartless and a nobody join in the natural order (see #4) it creates a somebody, which is what Lea, Ienzo, and Myde are. Somebodies are no different from those that have never been turned into a heartless, except they may come out of the experience a little stronger.

_**6: **_If a heartless and nobody come together in the opposite order (body into the heart, the heart into the soul) its parts are unable to bond correctly and it becomes a rebirth. THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN ON ITS OWN. IT MUST BE FORCED. Once it is beaten the parts are able to mix and a somebody is created. (Think of it like a glow stick. All the chemicals are in there but you have to break it to get it to work.)

_**7: **_Because of the energy and time it takes to make an rebirth, it only makes sense to use them as bosses.

I hope that clears things up for you a bit. Let me know if you have any more questions.


	10. Of Insomnia and Warnings

During her time at Delphy Aero had had to learn to sleep with her eyes wide open. It wasn't a particularly difficult thing to do, all things considered. Adjusting to actually being able to close her eyes was the hard part.

After her soak Aero had gone straight to bed, partially with the intention of going to sleep, but mostly to avoid her sister. It was craven of her, she knew, but it was better to be called coward then have her entire operation blown simply because Aqua didn't believe in second chances for those she deemed wicked. And that was almost all Blaze had ever been in her eyes: wicked. Nothing her sister could do would change that which was so firmly set in stone in the eyes of the blue haired girl.

Aqua could sometimes be as backwards as the world she was raised, not that Aero would ever say that to her face. She believed in good and evil, but no in-between. It was a bad trait for a chaser to have. Actually it was a bad trait for anyone period, but expectably those trusted to guard the worlds.

The job of a chaser was to help normal keybladers without completely interfering. They were forbidden form completely obliterating the forces of darkness on any world unless that villain had crossed over from another world or planed to.

The one thing a chaser could not do was judge. It was not there place to judge a world. They could not deem it a 'dark' or 'light' place. All worlds had equal parts dark and light. It was how those were arranged and mixed that mattered. The same could be said of people.

"Hard day?" A voice asked from the shadows. It was times like this, that insomnia became a blessed curse. With the exception of the resident vampire, everyone else was most likely asleep. It would do them no good to have someone hear Blaze, not that he was making that much noise, actually, but better safe then sorry.

"Like you wouldn't believe." The girl huffed. "What about you?"

"Well I've looked everywhere I can possibly think of for some mention of the court of kingdom hearts. Can't find a damn thing." It was clear that Blaze was more then a little disappointed.

"Where all did you go?" She asked in hopes that she might give a little advice. They needed this information a little too much for them to simply give up.

"Ansem's library, his computer, the library in the mansion in Twilight Town, Disney Castle, and Merlin's entire collection. Hell, I even went to see Roger Bacon and Maleficent. Seeking of which, did you know she's gone missing?" His voice was somber. Blaze may have been the last person to ever side with that old hag, at least now, but that did not mean that he could ignore her occasional usefulness.

"Not good. Not good at all." Aero muttered. "Morose?"

"Most likely."

"You know she's probably dead, right?" Her voice was soft, almost as if she were trying to comfort Blaze on some great loss.

"Most likely. The question is what do we do know?" They sat in silence for a moment thinking until a agonized grown was heard.

"Great. Just great." Blaze muttered.

"There is one last place I could look but I won't find it in any book." He explained. "I'm going to have to ask him man to man. He probably won't tell me shit but…"

"Who?" She was getting a little impatient.

"Yen Sid." The shadow all but spat the name. The ancient magician was the one person Blaze hated most in the world. More then Thanroe or Maleficent, he could barely even hear the old fart's name without getting angry.

Aero's opinion of him wasn't very high either, and she wasn't exactly in his good graces. She thought him a pompous old fart, while he regarded her as someone who saw too much and said too little about it.

"It's not going to help us if we get in a fight with the old geezer." She started, then continued as an epiphany struck. "But if what if I ask someone who he likes."

"Who would be better to send then Yen Sid's favorite ex-apprentice."

He smiled. This was one reason he loved working with Aero. Most often she could find a way to get someone else to do the dirty work. The best part was the 'someone else' never saw it as dirty. Why would they? What is an agonizing task for some could actually be pleasant for someone else.

"I'll take care of it. Hey, by the way, right now we're going to Radiant Garden. We won't be long and then it's time for part two. Be ready, we'll only get one chance." Aero warned him. If this got messed up just because he couldn't be at the right place at the right time she would be more then pissed. Not only would it mean she had spent a decade in hell for nothing, it would mean two, possibly three lives lost.

"You're warning Ansem?" He asked, his voice almost uncharacteristically level.

"It would be cruel not to. I only regret that I can't warn her, but at this point it would do more harm then good. She can't know. Not yet." For the first time in a long time Blaze saw honest to goodness regret in her face. Aero was not a cold person, she just regarded things like regret, vengeance and anger as things that hindered people form accomplishing anything, ergo she doesn't let herself near them.

"Well, good luck." He mumbled before leaving.

"Thanks. I'm going to need it."

* * *

Aero didn't sleep at all that night, instead she enjoyed the silence. Most would think that after spending so many years in solitary, she would enjoy a little conversation. Not in this case. In this case she knew that noise was coming eventually, and lots of it.

"You're up early." A voice said behind her. It was Ienzo, Ansem's youngest apprentice. Except he wasn't so young anymore and Aero doubted he was still under the master's tutelage.

"Or late depending on how you look at it." She mused. Ienzo looked at the clock. It was six a.m., hardly late unless..

"Insomnia?"

"Yep. And boredom. Lots and lots of boredom. What are you doing up?" She muttered.

"Cooking, I'm the only one of my brothers' that has any idea what there doing."

"So I've heard. Terra once mentioned something about omelets and pickles, but I'm guessing he didn't mean at the same time, right?" She said drawing her knees up to her chest in the pilot's seat.

"You'd be surprised."

"That I may just be. Want me to wake everyone?" She offered.

"Thank you, that would be nice."

Within fifteen minuets everyone except Emmett was sitting at the table chowing on a plethora of pancakes, waffles, eggs and just about anything you can imagine.

Just as everyone (except Myde) was stuffed to bursting, a beeping noise came from the cockpit. It wasn't and alarm, it was a timer.

"Cool. We got half an hour before landing. We should probably start to get ready." Aqua explained, excusing herself from the table. Many soon fallowed. Aero to make a call, Sora, Kari, and Ienzo's brothers all went to get ready for the day. Only Riku stayed to help clean up.

Truthfully this wasn't so much about being polite, it was more about him taking an opportunity. Something had been bothering him and he wanted answers. Who better to ask then one of the ships smartest people?

* * *

"Ienzo can I ask you something? What is everyone hiding about Kairi?" Riku said wile handing a rinsed plate to Ienzo to put in the dishwasher. His voice was so surprisingly conversational that Ienzo almost dropped the plate. Almost. The young man was able to keep his cool, but not before Riku noticed his little slip.

"What do you mean?"

"Aqua's friend at the coliseum mentioned that Kari almost started the keyblade war. Her mom knows about the keyblades. Aqua was surprised that she hadn't heard about the chasers and is actually being nice to her." Riku had stopped the pretences. His eyes were sharply at his former enemy waiting for an answer. Ienzo stared back wordlessly assessing the situation. This wasn't something he was going to be able to play dumb about. Not this time. Sometimes being known as the smart one came back to bite him in the ass.

"I can't tell you. It's not my place."

"She's my friend."

"And Aqua's mine." He snapped. Something told Riku that that wasn't as true as the young man made it out to be. Sure they had been acquaintances, but actually friends? Not so much. It was probably used more as an excuse.

* * *

Kairi stood staring at the closed door for several seconds trying to decide wither or not to go in. Something told her to go in; that she would find something precious of hers there. But it was the one room the sisters had asked everyone not to disturb.

The redhead princess knew that going in would be wrong, that it was a final monument to the dead, but her heart told her otherwise. It was almost as if deep down Kairi knew that if the room's owners had still been here they would not have minded.

Looking around quickly like a thief at market, Kairi opened the door, all the while thanking goodness that her mom never let her come to breakfast in her PJ's. The other passengers of the Sanzu where too busy getting ready to land to notice the girl, but because cleanliness was one of the only three things her was strict about (the other two being punctuality and honesty) she had come to the table already dressed.

The boundaries between the boy's sides were as definite as if it had been drawn with tape. The right side was a little cluttered and messy, but not to the point of suggesting it's inhabitant a complete pig, merely a few clothes lying on the bed and some scattered papers about the room and such, much like Sora's room was on the island. The left was so neat and simply decorated that it almost suggested a military precision. However it was not without personal touches. A book here, a picture there. They were little details, but they gave the impression that that was how the owner chose to keep his home.

It was to the left she veered. Looking around, she touched nothing, but nothing called to her. Nothing told her why she had been so compiled to do the one thing she had been asked to not to.

Tentatively she slid open the drawer to the bedside table. In it was a single leather bound notepad, some sticks of charcoal and a few specialty art pencils. Kairi knew she shouldn't but this was it. This was what had called her. She slowly slid the notebook out, almost as if not disturbing anything else would somehow lessen her transgression.

Kairi flipped open the cover only to be assaulted not of words, as she would have expected from a diary, but with an exquisite drawing. It was of a young girl of maybe one or two that she almost recognized, though she couldn't say from where. Perhaps because the only view offered was of the girl from the back, standing on her tip-toes to reach a flower growing high on a stone wall.

Deciding it best not to be caught in the room, she decided it was best to take the sketch book back to her own room. There she could look at it without worrying about having to explain to those she would rather not where she got it.

Holding the book close to her chest, she walked down the hallway focusing maybe just a little too much on not seaming suspicious. She didn't notice the door to the library open and someone step out just as she passed it. The person didn't notice her walking either, for soon enough…

"Ahh…Sorry!" Aero said, bending over to pick up her books as Kairi did the same.

"Shakespeare, Poe, and Frost," Kairi said reading off the titles, "I didn't see you as the poetry type."

Aero gave a little loaded grin.

"There's a lot about me that can surprise you."

Kairi quickly picked up her book and scurried back to her own room. As she sat down on the bed she opened the cover only to find something she was not expecting. The words felt like doom to her.

_The Time Machine __by H.G. Wells. _

Aero had known. Aero had planed this. That's what the lavender haired seer had meant about surprises.

* * *

Emmett was pissed. Unlike Delphy, the world known as Radiant Garden was not a cloudy place, at least not today. He was forced to say in that dammed ship with only the twerps word that they would find Neisse. But it was the best that could be done.

Aero was just as anxious to get off the ship as the vampire and for not so different reasons. In a very real way she had long lost 'family' on this world as well, and although their reunion would not only hold pleasure, there was also business to attend to. Grim business indeed.

"Why don't you guys go look for Emmett's niece, while I find Ansem and explain the situation."

Aqua quickly grabbed her sister's arm as she turned to leave.

"Don't you think that's more then a little cruel?" She hissed. Aero knew what she meant. This man had spent the past ten years grieving the loss of his son and suddenly he was to see that not one but two of the boy's closest friends had survived the very incident that had clamed his life. It would probably give him false hope; make him believe that there was a chance…

"This isn't something we can sugar code, nor is it something we can just hide." Aero's voice hade and edge to it that told her sister that she wasn't going to give in on this one, and she was right. This wasn't something they could just sweep under the rug. Something gave Aqua the impression that there was more to this situation then her sister was telling. But with Aero when isn't there?

* * *

Like Aero, Sora decided to branch off on his own. His intention had been to find Leon and see if he knew anything about these memories Kairi had been having. He thought that since she was originally from Radiant Garden, and Leon and others had regained their memories of the place, he might know a thing or two. It was a long shot, he'd admit, but it was worth a shot.

The keyblade master decided that it would be best to look in the lab since that was were his friend had spent most of his time before. As he came to the door that lead to Ansem's study he heard voices. Normally he wouldn't have eavesdropped but he could tell this wasn't a conversation he wanted to get in the middle of.

"Look Ansem, I thought it was only fare that you know. I can't promise anything by far but if all goes well…" Aero trailed off in a way seemed to suggest she didn't want to jinx whatever it was they were talking about.

"Does your sister know?" The old man asked, earning a little laugh from his companion.

"Does my sister know?" She repeated in a half amused half wary voice. "No. It would do more harm then good to tell her, even though keeping her in the dark kills me. No, things are too black and white for her. Blaze's situation is much like your friend Riku's. He lives too much in gray for Aqua to see him as being anything but dark."

"I see."

"Speaking of telling…" She began, trailing off just enough for Ansem to get her meaning.

"I…I can't." He whispered.

"Ansem it's not my business what you do, but maybe it would be best if you lay it out on the table instead of waiting for someone else to do your dirty work. You know the way my powers work, the more someone's destiny is entwined with mine the less I see, so I can't tell you how she would react. I would if I could."

"Is her destiny truly that tangled with yours?"

"Hers' is so knotted with Terra's that it makes it impossible for it not to be." Aero replied a little hot.

The scientist was silent for a moment before answering.

"I think I'll wait. At least until we see if this plain of yours works."

"And if it doesn't…" She asked, slowly shaking her head.

"Ten years is enough, don't'ch think?" Her words sounded like a jab of some sort but Sora could not tell what kind.

It was clear the conversation was over, so Sora crept back to the others before he was seen. There was so much new information to ponder that he had completely forgot to talk to Leon. Who were they talking about and what was this plain Aero kept talking about? For the first, Sora was starting to believe there was more to his new friend then meets the eye and he wasn't sure he liked it.

* * *

Sometime latter, after Emmett had been reunited with his niece and the others had seen there friends, Aero came running back from the ship.

"We need to get going soon. Mickey just called, he's got some information for us, and I think it would be better if we meet him at the castle to hear it." She announced.

"Why not just listen to what his majesty has to say via the communication system?" Aqua asked, causing her sister to sigh.

"I thought, maybe since they," she motioned towards Sora and company, "have friends there it would be a good opportunity for a visit. Beside that I wan' a see her majesty. It's been so long…" She practically whined the last part. For some odd reason, Queen Minnie was the only royalty that Aero ever refused to as 'majesty' or 'highness.' Perhaps it was because the mouse was the only royalty that Aero didn't see as a comrade in arms.

"But if you guys don't want to go… I guess I could just call." Reverse physiology wasn't really needed at this point. Sora had been wanting to show Kairi and Riku all the worlds he had been to during his adventures. This had been his dream since he first stepped foot in Traverse Town.

"Let's go!" He said enthusiastically as only he could be.

Aero smiled and tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach. After part three, they were going to realize something was up, then she was going to have to fight for part four of her plain and part five would be almost impossible. But she would do it she had to.

* * *

I'm so sorry that it took so long to get this up. The day we got internet my computer started acting up and I was sure it was going to crash. I couldn't keep any program open longer then ten seconds. So for almost three weeks I thought I had lost all the chapters I had written. (all together it was like twenty pages worth of content).

With my computer completely crapped out I was able to convince my mother to get me a laptop with her tax returns. Just before I unhooked my old computer I decided to try one more time to at least get my stuff off it. It worked. I was able to get my stories and home videos off of it.

Thank goodness.


	11. Sacrifices

Over the last ten years Disney Castle hadn't really changed much. Mickey had gone form being a prince to king, and Donald had finally asked Daisy out, but other then that it was exactly the same as before. The same light, open, castle. The same perfectly sculpted shrubbery in the garden.

Aero had spent a lot of time in this place while her friends were on their last adventure. Mickey had been one of the first to side with the chaser's during the great divide. In fact, had his father not died the day before, leaving him the crown, he would have been at Sunset Horizons with the rest of those doomed to die.

After the divide, those who hadn't sided with Thanroe were banned from Kostose. Mickey and his father had allowed Disney Castle to house the 'rebellion.' It was one of the only worlds that could defend itself properly. The cornerstone of light could easily keep away the darkness Thanroe was using.

Most of the time Terra, Ven, and Aqua convinced Aero to stay behind. It was for her safety, then said.

Safe she might have been, but that didn't stop her from feeling useless and unwanted. She was not a trained fighter or magician. She didn't even really have the skills necessary to protect herself form attack, but she could have helped them. Her visions would have helped, along with her satiric mind.

But no, she was left behind like a dainty little princess. It was frustrating then and it was frustrating now. She knew that the same would be asked of her again, but this time she wouldn't bend.

Aero kept going over the conversation in her head, trying to imagine her friends every arguments and what she would say in rebuke. It didn't help that she couldn't see the conversation before hand but that was just the way her gift worked, or didn't work in this case.

"Aero are you alright?" Her sister asked.

Aero just smiled and nodded. It would do no good to bring the subject up prematurely.

Mickey showed them into the library where the old fart himself was waiting. Aero inwardly groaned. Great. Now she was going to have to listen to the old bastard's self important mumble-jumble about how he was the greatest thing since canned cheese. The man acted as if he knew everything there is to know. If you ask him a question that he doesn't know the answer to, he'll simply say that the matter wasn't important or relevant.

Aero kind of thought it was ironic in an annoying way. The old man acted as if he knew everything and people believed he knew everything, but in reality, outside the realm of complex magic, the old man knew squat. In contrast, the small little girl hailed as all knowing in some parts of the worlds would be the first to admit if she did not know the answer.. Although she would be the first to admit that she didn't know everything, as her title promised, she did know more then the 'master magician.'

Everyone gave a little bow, except Aero.

"Hello, Yen Sid." She said as politely as she could, although she chose forgo his customary title of 'master.' Aero almost never adhered to custom when it came to titles. She would only use them when she felt them earned. (Except in the case of royalty that were also her comrades in arms. Then it would feel a little off to her.)

"Show some respect!" A small duck quacked. Donald hadn't recognized her.

"Oh I'm sorry. I do humbly beg your forgiveness." Her voice was overly sarcastic as she gave a deep exaggerated bow. When her forehead was almost touching her knees, she turned her head to the right and made a funny face towards Riku.

Aqua and everyone else who happened to know Aero pretty well and the way she felt about the master rolled their eyes. Mickey just whispered to Donald to let it go. He knew that this was the most 'respect' his master was going to get from the girl.

Yen Sid was not amused. For some reason the little physic girl had always had some sort of grudge against him, yet she would never so much as hint at why that was.

"Master Yen Sid, what are you doing here?" Sora asked.

"The King recently sent an envoy," he paused to motion towards Donald and Goofy, "to my tower asking questions about the Court of Kingdom Hearts, and I felt it necessary to explain it in person." Aero found it a chore just to stay awake during his monotone lectures, but she did her best, after all it was her who indirectly asked him to come.

"The court of Kingdom Hearts?" Riku asked. He had spent a year trying to undermine the dark. In that time he had learnt a lot of things about that which the bad guys had coveted, but never had her heard this mentioned.

"Kingdom Hearts may be a living, growing organism, but it has no mind of its own. Therefore it needs living minds to work…" he paused at the confused looks everyone was giving him.

"You mean like a jelly fish?" Aero asked, this time generously curious. The room was silent as people turned to give her looks questioning her sanity.

"A jelly fish…" Aqua said stupidly. Over the years she had heard her sister say some pretty outlandish things but this one took the preverbal fruit cake.

"A jelly fish is a living organism comprised of approximately ninety-nine percent water, with no brains and no anis. So yes, like a jelly fish."

"Yes like a jelly fish. May I continue?" It was obvious the old forger was grinding his teeth in frustration.

"By all means." Aero had tried to be as polite as possible to him, but that plain went out the window. He was just one of those people her gift gave her reason to hate, but she was unable to explain why without giving away secrets of a third party that she had no reason to hurt.

"As I was saying, Kingdom Hearts needs living minds to work. So it entrust different tasks to individuals. Most often these individuals are born with this power and have no knowledge of it.

"The court has both light and dark members, each with there own task to perform. The princess of light guard the Door to Darkness while the princes of darkness guard the Door to light. Kingdom Hearts can be reached by either door. There are other members, but I do not know who they are or what part they play."

"So there are bad guys guarding Kingdom Hearts?" Goofy asked.

"No. Dark doesn't necessarily mean Evil and Light doesn't necessarily mean Good." Aero explained.

"Oh." It was clear no one got it, but she didn't feel like explaining further.

"What I would like to know is how did you know to ask me about the court?" Yen Sid asked his former student.

"Well that's easy! Aero asked me to."

Yen Sid, Aqua and everyone else turned to look at the girl once again. It was clear she was silently being asked the same question.

"My sources tell me that that's what Thanroe and Morse are after."

"Morose!" Aqua cried. Last time she had been an even larger pain in the ass then her mother (which in it's self was saying something) and Aqua really didn't want to have to deal with it again.

"Who's Morose?" Kairi asked.

"Malificent's youngest." Aero replied offhandedly, not realizing the onslaught of questions this would lead to.

"Maleficent has a kid!" Sora shouted in horror.

"Two."

It took a moment for him to process this. Maleficent had not only one but two kids? But that meant…

"Twins?" Riku asked, on a similar thought train as his friend.

"No. Malaton's a couple years older then his sister, why?" Aero asked, unable to pick up on what exactly they were getting at.

"But…but that would mean…" Sora stammered, while Riku shared his look of horror. Oh, so that's what this was about.

"Yes. That means someone slept with her not once but twice. In fact it was two different people." She said shortly, causing everyone besides Yen Sid to shutter.

"What kind of sick, twisted person would…" Riku couldn't even finish that sentence while Yen Sid's face twitched.

Aero just let her lips twist upwards a little. It was clear that something he said was funny. What ever it was she wasn't sharing.

"Don't worry Malaton won't bother us. Right now our problem is his sister." She remarked.

"And his mother." Her sister mumble under her breath.

"She won't be a problem. Melrose saw to that. She's most likely dead, but forgive me if I don't greave." Aero explained, knowing most others shared her sentiments.

"Can we stop this? This is getting way to crazy for my taste." Lea interjected.

"So how do we find out who these members are?" The King asked. His little head was bent in thought.

"I could always ask my source. He may be able to figure it out." Aero offered.

"Just who is this mysterious source?" It was clear the Aqua was more then a little suspicious.

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

"So we will find out?" Aqua asked, a hard edge to her voice. It was more a command then a question. Aero had always liked to play some things close to the chest but this was going a little far, even for her. The entire idea made Aqua uneasy. For some reason she had a deep since of foreboding that she attributed to her sister's shiftiness.

"Eventually, Inevitably." It was clear that this was something Aero would put off for as long as possible. It's wasn't that she was ashamed of working with Blaze, quite the contrary, but she didn't need Aqua's interference.

Sora decided to take Riku and Kairi on a tour of the castle with The King, Donald, and Goofy as their guides. Aqua, having spent very little time in the castle herself, decided to go with them, thus leaving her sister with Yen Sid and the Queen.

"May I speak with you alone?" Yen Sid's deep monotone asked.

"Sure pops." She replied, trying to ignore the oddity of the situation.

"You should not trust him." He said simply as soon as they were out of the Queen's earshot. There was no need for him to clarify who he meant, for there was only one person it could logically be.

The remark was obviously meant in good will, but it made Aero more then a little angry. This was not his place. He had no right to judge Blaze.

"You have no right to tell me who I should and should not trust. I have complete faith in Blaze. But maybe if you had actually done your job, them maybe you wouldn't have to worry about in whom I place my trust." Despite being whispered the words were harsh.

Yen Sid's face registered a slightly surprised look, although in all honesty this shouldn't have been news to him at all.

"Didn't think I knew, did 'ch?" She asked slyly. "Don't worry, I won't be the one to out your not so little secret, but _only _because it's not only yours. Now if you'll excuse me," she said leaving him in the dust before he decided it was best to go somewhere else. Aero couldn't tell where he was going, not that she really cared.

* * *

"Oh I'm so happy you're back!" Minnie cried when the old friends finally got a moment to themselves.

"Me too. How have you been?"

"Just fine." Minnie replied with a slight glow about her. Aero gave her the once over to confirm her suspicions.

"A little better then fine the way I see it." She replied just to see her friends reaction. This would be all the confirmation she needed no matter if Minnie herself admitted to it.

Minnie just blushed and couldn't answer.

"Dose Mickey know?" Aero asked suddenly sympatric.

"No. I just found out myself and now he's going to have to leave again and…" Minnie just started sobbing. She wasn't the kind of person who cried. Normally she just had to be strong, but for some reason she just couldn't help it.

"Why don't you tell him? I could probably convince him that it would be better if he stayed here. We'll have enough help and it would look rather odd if a whole bunch of people started going from world to world. It's best that we keep it light." Most of what she said was simply to make the hormonal mouse feel a little better. The part about getting Mickey to stay behind was not, however. She needed him and he would want to be here.

"You're right." She said before calling for a page. When he arrived she instructed him to lead Aero to the King and his guest and to ask him to come see her.

"Sure thing your Majesty." He replied respectfully.

"Thank you Max."

It didn't take them long to catch up with the others in the hall of the cornerstone. Mickey was showing everyone the castle's pride and joy. Little did he know, the stone would soon be replaced.

* * *

"Hey Mickey!" Aero called as she rushed down the steps. The little mouse turned to look at her with a slightly questioning glance. "The Queen wants to see you in the library. Don't worry we won't get lost or anything just go see what she wants."

"Well gosh, whatever for?" He mused aloud.

"It's a surprise."

"Well in that case… You guys will be okay, Right?" The mini monarch asked his guests.

"Well be fine." Sora assured him.

Once Mickey had left Aqua turned on her sister and demanded and explanation. She had noticed that Aero was practically bouncing with excitement. Something was obviously going on. Something big and Aqua had had enough of secrets.

"You'll find out soon enough." Aero replied, still a little giddy. The Queen's news was not the only reason she was excited. No something a little bigger had her wound up.

She had not planed it exactly this way to begin with. All she had known was that she had to get everyone into the hall of the cornerstone for it to work. Mickey being gone was a bonus, because this might just get ugly and she didn't want him involved. In this respect Sora's eagerness to share his experiences with his friends and Minnie's timing could not have been better for her. Both circumstances placed the right people in the right place for…

"What is that!" Kairi said in surprise as she pointed to a portal in the north west corner of the room. It was like a black hole swirled with brown and a dusty yellowish orange color. Everyone stared at it for a long moment before Aero was able to swallow back the heartburn her excitement had caused.

"It's a portal." Donald quacked.

"But where does it go?" Sora asked to no one unparticular.

"Only one way to find out." Aero shouted as she grabbed his wrist and pulled the boy through. She knew everyone would follow but in a way she kind of hoped that they wouldn't.

Once everyone was through the portal she heard the agonizing gasp of the last person to come through. Aqua. All was silent for a moment as she waited for the accusations to come. She didn't have to wait long.

"You knew. You knew that this was were the damned thing went, yet you still pulled us through. Why?" She breathed. " I won't do it. I can't."

Aqua turned her face away from Sunset Horizons without losing that excruciating look of horror that turned her sister's blood to ice. Aqua gave another gasp when she saw that the portal had closed behind them. That she was unable to escape.

Her sister's pain was more then enough to break her heart, but Aero hardened herself against it. Sacrifices had to be made for the greater good and Aero had made more then her fare share. Unfortunately it was someone else's turn.

"There is something you must see." She whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear as she continued to pull Sora along the dusty path. It would appear that she knew exactly where she was going, even though the seer had never stepped foot on this particular world a day in her life.

Unbeknownst to the rest of them, she was following a small shadow, just big enough to see but only if you were looking for it.

"What is this place?" Riku asked as the shadow lead then through the fields of Keyblades.

"A graveyard or a storehouse. However you want to see it." She answered, never stopping in her race. She gradually increased her pace so that no one would notice except the boy she was dragging along with her.

When they reached the top of the cliff they were climbing, the shadow disappeared and she knew it was time. Today was the first day of the rest of there lives. Aero knew that nothing would ever be the same. That was how she wanted it. The same was always boring unless it was the same she wanted.

"Sora look at that." She said somberly pointing down. The boy followed her gaze thinking that she was finally showing them what she was talking about.

Everyone was still approximately a hundred or so feet behind them when she pushed him off, so they had no time to stop her.

Aero watched as Sora's hand desperately grasped the ledge, trying to pull himself up. He had almost gotten his grip to the point that it would be nothing to provost over the ledge when he saw Aero's solemn face hanging over him.

"I'm sorry Sora, but sacrifices must be made." She said as she stomped on his fingers a little harder then necessary. As he fell he realized something: she wasn't sorry at all.

* * *

Ha, ha what a cliffy. That's what you guys get. Only twenty-seven views and zero reviews? Come on, you guys can do a little then that.

Okay so this chapter was written well before the last one was posted. It still hurt.

On another note, any ideas on what Minnie's baby will be? Boy? Girl? Any suggestions on names? I know it seems kind of sudden but I've always wondered, I mean they've been married for how long and they're mice for goodness sakes you think there would be at least one Mickey Jr. running around or something. Plus this is my reason of getting rid of an unnecessary character (my cast is getting way too big). Aero did promise to convince him to stay right?

R&R my friends!!


	12. Resurrection from Afar

Sorry it took so long, but computers don't like me. My computer crashed. Again. Luckily I had this one on my flash drive (that's been lost for a while). I'm definitely going to continue this one but bare with me please. When I began the project, I had very little pre-writing and direction, but I'm working on it. I also have an AP exam coming up and am sharing a computer with my cousins. Also, when chapter thirteen is posted you may want to go back and reread chapters one through twelve again, because I may be changing a few small details that have a lot to do with the overall plot.

* * *

"Sora!" Riku yelled as he rushed towards the cliff. The few seconds it took for him to reach it had obviously been too much, for the boy was gone. There was no falling friend, or mangled body. No sign at all that the keyblade master had even been there, save everyone's memory and Aero's face staring at the ground so far below.

"What have you done!" He demanded, holding the seer by her collar. "Answer me!"

Every one else was standing there watching the exchange with horror on there faces. They had trusted this girl and she had betrayed them in the most deplorable way. They had rescued her and she had…

Aqua stood staring at her sister in disgust. Was this why she had worked so hard to keep the girl safe? Was this the kind of person she had let her sister become?

"Aqua." Her sister whispered, asking for her help but this time it was not forthcoming. Instead the blue haired girl just stood at the panicle of her personal hell. Not only had Aero forced her to come to _this_ place, but it had been for her to destroy everything Aqua held dear. Not only was she forced to relive that horrid day with every step she took, but she had a new horror to live. The day her sister killed someone.

"No. You did this. You get yourself out." She spat. Aqua's contempt hurt Aero much more then anything else and she was sure it would only be more forthcoming in the near future.

"You think he's dead, don't you?" Aero asked, looking Riku as close to in the eye as her current position would allow. Her voice was blank and held no emotion.

"What do you think? You're the one that pushed him off the cliff!"

"But he wasn't the first spiky-haired young man to fall from such heights, and survive. Sort of." She whispered.

Riku looked at her in complete confusion. He had no idea what the girl was talking about, but apparently Aqua did.

"Riku, put her down." It was clear that whatever that meant, Aqua found it offensive. She was practically shacking with rage as she walked up to her sister, and gave her one of the hardest slaps any one had ever seen. When Aero turned her face back to her sister, everyone could see a bright red welt forming on her pale skin. Okay, so maybe bringing Ven into this wasn't the best idea she had ever had.

"He's not dead, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you all about my plain," She said more to Aqua then anyone else, "but if I told you everything, you would have stopped me for a very petty reason. If you weren't here, Aqua, I would have told them everything, and more then likely they would have still come. So the only one you have to blame for everyone having to think Sora's dead for a few minuets is yourself, and your narrow-mindedness.

"There is a lot you didn't see. I know I have no right, but if you guys will just come with me to bottom I'll show you what this is all about. He's not hurt I promise. Well, he may have a little headache but…

"Look, if you really think he's dead, which he's not, why don't you go get his body?"

* * *

Although the plain had been simple, it had to be executed exactly at the right time. Blaze knew this. He also knew that if he messed this up Sora would die. That's why he had everything set up exactly right. The plain would work. It had too.

The twins were waiting in the wings to lend him their power. Blaze would then use both the light and darkness to catch the falling boy and separate Ven's heart from his. Then all he had to do was craft a new body from the twins power for his former friend.

Blaze had it all planed out, and every variable accounted for. Or so he thought. In fact the one thing he forgot to think of would be the one thing that mattered.

Sunset Horizons was a place of ghosts. It had been for the last ten years. Here sprits walked, unseen and unheard. Unlike most places, these ghost were mostly those of heroes.

One in particular happened to be wondering in, what he perceived to be the right place at the right time. Terra had always tried to help anyone in anyway he could, so of course when he saw the boy fall, he tried to catch him. It didn't cross his mind for a moment that he did not have a solid form to catch the boy with. He ignored the blanket of darkness and light that was already in place to claim Sora, and jumped up through it.

Today was only suppose to only be Ventus's turn. Blaze knew that the twins only had enough strength to bring back one person, but Terra's little stunt caused something to go wrong. Because the emetic knight had chosen not to fear the dark, he was now involved in the process. Blaze had no choice but to draw more power from the twins and complete both knights at the same time.

* * *

"NO, NO, NO!!" Morose roared as she watched the scene unfold.

She had known that the traitor Blaze and the seer had been up to something, but she had never imagined this. It wasn't that she was lacking in imagination, in fact she prided herself on the contrary among other things. The only reason that she hadn't guessed what they had up their sleeves was that magic like this required a lot of groundwork. Groundwork took time and that was something Blaze and Aero hadn't had a lot of, at least not when it mattered.

Pulling herself through the darkness she arrived at Thanroe's lab. It was a rather eerie place in it's sterility. Everything was white except the 'patients' strapped to surgical tables about the room. Most were in some form of dismemberment and all were destined to become one thing. The vary thing the witch had come for.

"Thanroe get your head out your ass, we have work to do." Morose commanded. Thanroe looked up from his books and ledgers with a slightly annoyed expression. Few would dare disturb him as he was creating a masterpiece. All those who worked with him knew that to do so may just put you on the express list as one of his subjects.

"Oh, and what would that be?" A warning rang out in his tone. It was a warning his girlfriend didn't bother with. Like he could eve turn her into one of those abominations. If he did ever grow the balls to try, she would turn him into something far more foul and there would be no 'try' about it.

"Blaze and that damned seer are bringing back the their friends. They already have the girl, although I don't know how we didn't see that. If they get Ventus and Ansem's son, things may not be so easy anymore."

"Sora… We both should have seen this coming," he said lightly chastising himself and his companion, "did you not think it odd how much Roxas looked like Ventus? The seer must have placed his heart within Sora's just as he died. Creating a new body for the heart would not be particularly difficult for those who knew how…"

"I don't care if they pulled him fully formed out of Sora's ass. All that matters is that he's coming back. Both of them." Morose was panting with aggravation and the sense of urgency.

"Terra as well?" He asked with a slight grin. If Terra was back that could be turned into a good thing. It could be turned into numerous opportunities for vengeance.

"Yes, him as well! What else would I mean by 'both of them?' Now why don't you do the intelligent thing instead of sitting here twirling your thumbs. Get one of those pets you care about so much to crush them before this gets any worse." She screeched.

Three figures were laying face down in the dirt once the preverbal dust settled. Terra was the first to regain consciousness.

* * *

As the blue eyed young man stood up he noticed three things: first, somehow it had gone from being the middle of the night to the middle of the day; second; both Ven and another boy that Terra had never met were lying in the dust beside him; and finally, there was a large group coming down the path that lead to the rock face. He could not make out who they were from where he was at, but he wasn't going to take that chance. Terra quickly grabbed Ven, and for good measure, the strange boy.

Despite being tired and sore, he managed to carry his friends into a little cave in the rocks, were they could see without being seen. When he had rested for a fraction of a minuet, Terra quickly cast Cure on Ven, leaving the unknown boy for later.

"What's going on?" The blond haired boy asked his friend, who in turn just pointed to the crowd that had gathered at the very spot they had just been. It was almost as if they were looking for something. For them.

"Where is he??!!" They heard someone shout form the mysterious group. Who were they looking for? The boy, perhaps?

"I…I…Don't… he should…" Someone stuttered. Someone familiar, but they couldn't tell who. Not until she backed away from the group almost as if she were afraid of them. From this distance all they could see was blurs of colors. But that's all that was needed to identify the girl.

"Stunts?" Ven whispered.

"I think so."

Just as they were about to step in to intervene, another sight caught there attention. It was two creatures that he had never seen before. They were obviously related to unbirths but they were very different. If they had bothered to wake and ask the boy he would have been able to tell the Chasers a little about the creature, but it never crossed there minds.

The creature was odd shaped. Almost as if it had originally been a neoshadow that had been warped and stretched to the point it almost resembled a trick master, but instead of wielding flaming batons as weapons, it had some crude version of a riffle. The creature was not alone. On its heals was another creature, this one vaguely kin to some sort of dog or maybe it was a wolf.

Whatever the creatures were, the strangers obviously recognized them as enemies for immediately they charged. Wanting to get a closer look at the both the enemies and their adversaries, Terra and Ven slowly crept forward, careful not to be seen.

They watched as a boy with bluish white hair and a red headed girl charge with keyblades. It was easy to see that the girl was a novice and that the boy was trying too hard to protect her and defeat the unknown creature at the same time. He was obviously a very skilled fighter, but even the best could spread themselves too thin.

The strange creature with the rifle took one good shot, and that was all it took. Riku was down and Kairi was wide open for attack. Until now Aqua had stayed out of the fight. She had wanted to see how well the new generation of keybladers would fare, but it had long gone past the point of a simple test.

Without even calling forth her armor, she summoned her keyblade and got to work. A simple Cure spell and Riku was back in action and ready to go. No one noticed a strange glint in his eyes and something changed.

"Darkness!" He called out and suddenly his entire outfit changed. Instead of the yellow and blue he normally his garments were black, blue and red. His entire being reeked of darkness, but somehow they could tell that it was not the malevolent sort. Riku commanded enough of the darkness and light at the same time to balance it out. He truly was a twilight warrior.

Riku jumped and went right for the creatures throat as Aqua went for it's back. It should have been an easy kill but the beast would not go down with out a fight. As it died, it swung its long string-like arms. One caught Riku in the gut sending him flying into the rock face, while the other struck Aqua's head knocking her unconscious.

This would have meant little had they not have forgotten the dog-creature. While it's attackers were indisposed, it charged for their companions. Unfortunately Lea had his brothers had given up their super cool and powerful weapons when they had given up the darkness. With Sora, Riku and Aqua all out of the picture they were sitting ducks. It would surly mean certain death for all of them if one of their champions didn't come to soon.

Just as the creature was about to strike, something caught it's attention. It only had to look up to be assaulted by a blinding fast blur of blond, black and white. Once Ventus struck he continued to unleash several long aerial combos as Terra caught up. As the slightly more earth bound hero joined his friend, the attacks started becoming synchronized. One would attack while the other prepared another.

The onslaught only stopped for once as Ven allowed his feet to touch the ground, something that had been rare enough during the battle. As if he were answering to some unspoken queue, Terra rushed forward to his side. Making sure there was at least fifty feet between them and there target, Ven performed a backwards summersault and landed on his friends shoulders. From there he proceeded to jump almost horizontally towards the almost-dead rebirth. At the same time, Terra used the backside of his keyblade as a baseball bat to strike the soles of Ven's shoes, catapulting him forward at an immense speed. When the boy reached his target he stuck out his own keyblade just so it he could slam it into the abomination's skull, immediately killing the creature.

Were the corpses of both creatures lay were two people. One tan and tall, the other pale and looked almost as if he was on drugs. Aero instantly recognized them as part of Neisse's family by the way the pale one sparkled.

Everyone else looked on with stunned silence. Some were couldn't speak for the show of skill, others had a slightly different reason to be shocked. These people had been dead for ten years, or so they had thought.

"Are they real?" Myde whispered to his brothers in the back of the group.

"I think so." Ienzo replied, and he was not one to be fooled twice by the same trick.

"You guys looked like you could use a little help." Ven said.

Aero was off to the side almost hyperventilating. Both! How could it be both? It was just suppose to be Ven. What had gone wrong? She kept going over all the different scenarios in her head that she could think of. Terra being back wasn't a bad thing in and of it's self, what worried her was what the extra strain could have cost Blaze and the twins. As much as she wanted him with her now it wasn't worth some one or some ones dying over.

"How is it suddenly daytime. Last I remember we were fighting Thanroe in the middle of the night." Terra asked.

"It's not just daytime, it's been ten years." Aero replied, still shaken. She hoped her sister would wake up soon because she had a feeling that the girl would appreciate being awake for all the explanations. Riku had already come to and was listing in intently. Despite that he still had one question he needed answered.

"Ten years! How is that possible?" Ven asked.

"I'll explain later." Aero muttered.

"Where's Sora?" Riku asked.

"Oh, you mean the spiky haired kid? He 's back there. I'll go get him." Terra offered, not at all offended by the boy's demanding tone. Or perhaps he was too shocked to be. Whatever the reason, Terra fallowed through on his promise and went to get the boy. To his surprise, he was not alone. Aero had followed him.

"What happened here?" He asked lightly grazing the welt left by her sister's slap, when he was sure they were out of earshot. The touch sent shivers up Aero's spine as it always did. Good to see not everything had changed.

"It's nothing, Aqua's been a little stressed lately." It was all the excuse needed.

"Ahh, has she had a lot of reason to be stressed?" He asked.

"Yes she has. I probably could have put an end to a lot of it…but then she would have made things difficult." She whispered. Talking with Terra was easy. He was the only person she knew that would let her have her secrets while still caring enough to actually ask the right questions. Or maybe his presents naturally unhinged her lips a little.

"When has your sister not made things difficult for herself?" Terra muttered. Aero laughed, for it was true. Aqua had often gotten herself into trouble with her over bluntness and set ideas on good and evil.

As much as Aero wished it, they could not continue bashing her sister forever. There were other issues that needed to be discussed and they were not pleasant ones. At this point, finally having Terra back, Aero would have given anything not to have to be the one to break the news to him, but she was the only one who could.

"Terra look. There's something I need to say." She admitted as she took in a deep breath. "I know that this is confusing for you already, but it's going to get a lot worse. Your sister doesn't remember you."

Comprehension flashed in his eyes. Ten years. The girl. It couldn't be. It can't be. It was impossible. But Aero wouldn't lie, not to him, not about something like this. His family meant everything to Terra. It was the quickest way to get to the gentle giant; the surest way to get him angry was to even give idle threats against them.

Terra put his hand against the rock face to steady himself.

"So that girl…" he breathed in nonbelief. Last he has seen his sister she was a sweet little five year old whom he adored. But if what Aero said was true…

"Kairi doesn't remember you. It's part of the magic I had to do to save you. Please wait for me to explain to everyone. I just thought you should know so that you don't wined up saying something that would put you in an awkward situation that you don't want to be in." She muttered.

"You think I shouldn't tell her?" Aero couldn't exactly tell if it was shock or anger shining through his baritone voice. Either way she cared enough not to console him with the truth. Even if she told him that he should run up and explain everything right now, he wouldn't. In truth, he would probably never tell her, nor would Ansem. For them it would be easier to let her forget then face the girls anger.

"What you tell her is your prerogative, but you should probably wait to talk to your dad first. This hasn't been easy for him. Not at all." She said.

By the time the duo had managed to get Sora from the little cave and back to the party, Aqua woke up. The moment her eyes fell on the sight of her old friends she immediately passed out again, causing Terra to give a little chuckle. Aqua had always been a bit of a drama queen.

"That poor girl, she sure has been spending a lot of time sleepin'" Goofy quipped.

* * *

Okay, so you finally find out the big secret about Kairi. The only question now is when does she? To me, the fact actually seems cannon. Think about it. She's a princess like all the princesses of heart (Wonderland exists inside Alice's imagination so of course she's an unofficial princess of it). She's originally from Radiant garden. Ansem is king. Simple enough.

The twilight crossover thing will not be a big aspect, I just love nessie. Also if anyone has any idea as to what the other organization members are doing, besides the brothers and apprentices (which are 's 1-6 if you didn't know) are doing I would like to know. Especially since I would love to be able to add other somebodies.

In reviews someone mentioned not understanding how Aero was freed. If you're confused, just think of the magic that bound her as a lock and since the keyblades can unlock any lock…

Hope that clears things up a bit.

R&R guys. The lack of response before put a major damper on my mojo. No mojo it's hard to write.


	13. Kind words sometime sound cruel

Just because Aero had anticipated the awkwardness and shock amongst the group didn't make it any less uncomfortable. No one spoke so much as a single word as they made the pilgrimage through the dusty plains back to the thrown room. Their was nothing left for Aero to do but wait for the shit to hit the fan. She couldn't find Blaze, although she was unable to be obvious about her intentions. All she could do was attempt to gauge the reactions of her friends.

Ven was quietly watching everyone else. He was so used to his life being flipped upside down that he found it easiest to keep his head. It was a sad fact, but one Aero was grateful for none the less.

Terra kept staring at the back of his sister's head, trying to come terms with the time warp. Too many things were different, he knew this, but besides the woman who was suppose to be his baby sister, he saw nothing yet. And that made it more then a little difficult for him. For Terra at least, it would have been easier to wake up to a world that was almost unrecognizable rather then have to try and force himself to believe the truth.

Aero unfortunately found her sister faring far worse. Aqua was deathly quite, a state that was more then unnatural for the fighter, and she was shaking ever so slightly. Aero wanted to comfort the girl but didn't. Aqua's anger was directed at her sister, that was obvious enough, and trying to help would just expedite the inevitable.

Aero knew she could not handle Aqua's temper on shot nerves. She needed to calm down before facing her sister's wrath. And to do so she had a very simple solution. Tuning out almost every bit of sound in the room, she focused solely on the constant meter of Terra's breathing.

The ritual had a calming effect yet by the time Aqua's shock wore off, it wasn't enough. As the party was finally leaving the hall of the cornerstone, Ven turned to his friend. The question was reasonable enough, but it only served as a catalyst to a much greater issue.

"You mind explaining what goin' on 'cus I'm confused?" Aero took a deep breath before beginning.

"I-" She began but was swiftly cut off by her sister.

"You… You …. You! You knew. You knew this was going to happen yet you said nothing. You let me think they were dead…"

"Yeah. I did." She was careful to keep her voice as even and calm as possible, though Aero knew the decorum would not last. Inside she was shrinking with ever word; trying to curl up into a little ball yet not wanting her sister to see weakness, to see another fault line she could pick and pry at.

"How could you? After all I've done for you?" The look of absolute disgust on Aqua's face was not something Terra thought he would ever see directed at Aero. It was too primitive…too full of hatred for it to ever truly reflect Aqua's feelings towards her sister, but that didn't make Terra any less weary of the situation.

Terra had known both sisters long enough to know how this was going to end. Aqua had a violent temper and would lash out bitterly as Aero took it and retreated with in herself.

"I can't believe I even tried to help you." She spat as Aero just looked at the floor in shame. Unlike most people who would "You're not my sister. You never were. My sister was never such an inconsiderate little bitch."

With those words, Aero's head snapped up and her eyes set in such a manor that Terra had never before seen in the sweet little girl he knew.

"Inconsiderate?" She asked in a fierce whisper, taking a single step toward Aqua. Aero was several inches shorter and was visible weaker, but in that moment she looked scary. Terra knew that something had changed within her during those years he was missing and he couldn't tell just what it was or if it was a welcomed change.

"I'm not inconsiderate. Far from it. It's your fault I said nothing, and your's alone. I told Ansem everything, including the fact that their was a very good chance that all this wouldn't work." Terra couldn't help but feel relieved. His father wouldn't have to live through the complete shock he had.

"The only reason I told you nothing was the simple fact that Blaze did most of the work. I couldn't have you sneering and questioning his motives when there was no time for doubt. Blaze was able to do most of the magic himself, and God only knows what this cost him." Her voice trailed off as she ignored the incredulous look in her sister's eyes at the dark soccer's name.

"This wasn't the plain. Both of them at once was too much. It could have killed him." Their was no need to question just who 'he' was. Terra really wasn't sure how he felt owing a debt of that magnitude to him, especially after what he did.

"Good. That would be one less villain for later." Terra and Ven shared a loaded look at those words. Words that were supremely cruel even for Aqua's sharp tong. The comment had even the ever unjudging Terra taking a step back. Aqua was known for being overly cold, judgmental, and unforgiving but this was a new height even for her.

Everyone was so caught up in Aqua's behavior that they failed to notice that she was not the only one acting far out of character. No one noticed Aero draw her fist back until it landed its target; the reverberating crack of broken cartilage was all that could be heard in the seconds of deafening silence until it was broken by Aero's reply.

"Just which villain are we speaking about? The one who risked his life to save his friends or the one who insists on blaming him for things out of his control. If you remember correctly, he wasn't the only one who believed Thanroe. Why aren't you bashing them? Is it because they're dead? Well guess what? Blaze might just be and for what? So that you don't spend eternity stuck between life and death." Aero's voice was rising with almost every other word and somehow she seemed to grow inches in seconds, until she was almost looking down at her sister.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't help you guys fight; that I couldn't do the kind of magic that could help you or wield a keyblade. I'm sorry that I was always the weakest link and could never help. But the one time I was able to help you guys, I did it no questions asked; no hesitation. I did what I had to do to save you no matter who I had to ask for help. You can judge me for that all you want to but I won't apologize for it. Actually, I kind of thought you would have done the same, but I guess I was wrong." The last sentence was whispered so low that it was hard to tell if it was truly said aloud or not.

The second Aero saw her friend's shocked faces, she knew that the words had indeed been said out loud. All of them, and with a little gasp she turned and her violet curls disappeared around one of the many hallways of Disney Castle.

For several moments all anyone heard was Aero's footsteps reverberating in the halls, even though it had been long enough that they should have long dissipated into nothingness. Once her sister's words settled Aqua knew that she had to go after the girl. She needed her, but as Aqua began to step forward Terra held out his hand to keep her back. He shook his head just the slightest fraction.

"I'll go." He said and before following the tiny girl out the giant doors.

* * *

Aero was not one to usually run from her problems, Terra knew this well. The girl was as much of a fighter as her sister was, but she just knew how to choose her battles better. That trait sometimes made it hard to believe the relation between the two.

The few times Aero had ran she had always ran to the same place, or same type of place. Any time she was upset, she could usually be found someplace high up with a view and few ways to follow her. The first place that fit the description was the first place Terra looked. But she wasn't there; the north tower was completely deserted.

Terra looked out the window and over the garden, trying to guess where in the world the girl could be. He couldn't help but laugh out loud at the sight below. Aero had indeed gone to the top of the north tower, it was just the wrong north tower.

The violet haired girl sat atop the courtyard's shrubbery rendition of the castle. It was clear by the way her shoulders were trembling that she was crying and crying hard. Terra's heart went out to the girl. He knew how much Aqua's opinion meant to her; those cruel words would not have had the same impact had they came from anyone else's mouth. Even his.

It didn't take him long to find his way down to her. As he sat down beside her, he wrapped his arm around her shaking shoulders and waited for her to speak first. It took several minuets for the young girl to control her sobs enough to actually be able to articulate anything, but when she did she seemed so small; so fragile; so weak; so…vulnerable.

"Wh…w…why does…she…h…hate me?" She could barely get the words out through the hiccupping sobs that made her pain so tangible. It killed Terra inside that, for all his strength, he could not protect the girl from the one thing that hurts her the most: her sister's unthinking temper.

"She doesn't hate you. She could never hate you." Terra said, gathering the girl up in his arms and held her close to his chest. Her tears soaked his shirt but he didn't mind; in fact he didn't even notice. What he did notice was the fact as he did this, the girl's sobs immediately subsided. Perhaps that what comes from having a literal shoulder to cry on?

"I know that." Aero whispered, "but it doesn't stop it from feeling that way." Silently the girl was thanking whatever higher power their was for him. All it took was Terra's sent and she felt better, but in conjunction with his smiling blue eyes and caring face Aero knew that she would soon have the strength to face her sister again.

"She's just stressed." Terra didn't like making excuses for people but that's what Aero needed to hear; it would not help for him to belittle Aqua (not that he was in the habit of belittling anyone).

Aero looked up from the nook on his shoulder that she had buried her face in. the words she spoke next forced Terra to take back his earlier musings on how he wished the world had been unrecognizable. In those three little words he heard every bit of change he would ever need, yet they were in a form he would never have wanted.

"And I'm not?" Her words were sharp and bitter and her eyes showed a dark maturity that he would have never equated with the girl.

"I suppose you are." He replied, drawing the girl back into his chest while he began rocking back and fourth on the shrubbery and rubbing her hair. Now that he thought about, she would have had to be with all that's going on but Aero had always been good with stress. Actually, she had never really shown it in situations where she must have been under piles of it.

After what seemed like hours, Aero pushed herself off of her ever so comfortable perch and jumped down from the bucolic castle. She waited until she was sure that Terra was following her before turning to him.

"Thanks Terra." Their was no need for her to specify what exactly for. He knew. It was simply for being there.

"No problem," Terra said "I'd do anything for you. I love you Aero." Aero smiled the widest smile he had ever seen on her. It was clear that what he said meant a lot to her.

"You're like a sister to me. Speaking of which, why don't we go face yours before she beats her self up too much."

The navy eyed seer was careful not to let her smile slip at the prince's last words. Was it wrong of her to get her hopes up in the second she had thought he returned her feelings? Of course now that that single second was over she saw that it was. Terra thought of her as a sister and perhaps that's all he ever would. All she could do now was grit her teeth and lock the muscles in her cheeks. It wouldn't do for her to ruin what little she did have with the boy she would do anything for.

* * *

Three figures floated unconscious in the vast sea of twilight that rested between the light and the darkness. All three were exhausted but alive. Thankfully.

One figure would not have been able to be discerned from the darkness that surrounded him under normal circumstances. But the circumstances were not what anyone would call normal.

As said figure opened his ice blue eyes, he immediately looked around for his companions. When he found the twins to both be very much alive, he breathed a sigh of relief. It would not have sat well within the confines of his consciousness to have them die as they were helping him clean up his mess.

Using what little strength he had left he called fourth the darkness and brought the boys home. He didn't waste the strength to send them to their own homes. Instead he just dumped them both in Kouichi's bed. They would have to worry about how Koji got there on their own.

As Blaze passed the boy's beat up old dresser he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror that rested on top of it. For the first time in ten years he could see his reflection. His sharp bone structure, blue eyes and sandy blond hair greeted him and he almost cried.

"I don't know how you guys did it but what ever you did, thanks." He whispered to the sleeping boys as he used the last of his conscience strength to send himself between the sheets of his own bed in his room on Kostose.

* * *

I loved writing this chapter. It was just too fun. You get to see the dynamics of my team! Don't worry next chapter is the big explanation. Poor Aero. Terra had to drop the 'sister' line didn't he?

For those of you who care, I was listing to what I consider to be Aero's theme song almost the entire time. Missing by Evanescence.

Also I'm getting disappointed with the lack of reviews, as I have said before, but oh well.

Listen I got this idea when I read that you could only get the hidden endings in the Japanese versions of the games: I'm going to write a special secret ending that leads up to the sequel (yes I said sequel, as you can probably tell I am unable to tell a short story). If you leave a signed review or leave your e-mail in a review for every chapter, when this one is done I'll e-mail or PM it to you. Sound fair?


	14. Sunny and the Never Ending Story

Aqua watched Terra run after her sister, all the while knowing that it should have been her. She should have been the one to fix her mistakes. But no, Terra had to be the hero, had to be the knight in shinning armor. Figures. Aero would probably like it better any way.

"Why do I get the feeling I screwed up." Aqua mused aloud, not really expecting an answer. Although she would probably never admit it, her sister had been right.

"Ah…well… you kind of did." Ven said.

"You're right. So what do I do now?" Ven may be rather impulsive in battle, but outside of the adrenalin and danger he was known for his level head. That was why he and Aero got along so well; they were both able to look at a situation and break down what had to be done next. Sure they didn't always have a plain, but when they did I usually worked. Usually.

"You have apologize. I mean we both know that Aero does some sneaky stuff but she's never done it to be mean." Aqua huffed at his comment.

"But she still could have told me."

"That's not what I heard." Lea muttered, causing Aqua to cut her eyes at him. She was contemplating sending an ice spell the pyrotechnic's way but her thoughts were interrupted by the door slamming open. For a moment before she saw who exactly did it, Aqua was afraid it was her sister. She didn't know if tempers had cooled enough for another confrontation.

"Guess what?" Mickey asked, practically bouncing. It was odd seeing him like this, so unopposed, so excited.

"What? What is it?" Sora asked, but Mickey wasn't paying attention. He mouse's eyes were rested squarely on the blond haired boy that had not been part of the group he had left.

"Roxas?" He asked. Good. So Riku wasn't the only one to compare the boy to his best friend's nobody. The face was the same, as was the cloths and voice. It was a chilling experience to have someone who was so much like an old enemy right in front of him.

A new question suddenly came to the dark warrior's mind: if Ven and Terra were such great friends, then wouldn't DiZ have recognized his son's friend within Sora's nobody? And if he did why had he treated him so bad? Why had he been so adamant in his belief that nobodies were not suppose to exist.

"I know it's been a while, but am I that easy to forget? It's me Ventus." Mickey's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"Mickey!?" A booming voice called from behind him. Terra came through the open door followed by Aero. Her face was still a little puffy and her eyes were a little red, but she wore a genuine smile.

"Terra? How?!" The mouse called. Aero felt a kind of bad that the revelation of the situation interrupted his news but it was but a small inconvenient. He could add his share of good news to the pot a little later. She was sure Mickey wouldn't mind waiting a bit.

"I guess I have some 'splaining to do, huh?" Aero asked. Although she was still smiling, Aqua could hear the apprehension and doubt in her sister's voice. She couldn't help it; she knew what she had to do.

"Aero listen, I'm sorry about what I…" But Aero cut her off with a little smile.

"It's nothing. Those words weren't even the sharpest knife I've dealt with today." Aqua gave a confused little look. Aero just took a few steps forward and whispered what Terra had said in her sister's ear. The boy hadn't meant anything by it but…

"Nice. You just can't catch a break, can you?" Aqua said with a little laugh.

"Maybe someday." Aero replied with a voice some where between amusement and weariness.

"Girls are wired." Myde said, causing every girl in the room to laugh. Most of the boys obviously agreed for even Van and Terra joined in the fun.

"You two were just ready to kill each other and now you're acting like you're best friends." Van accused. The sisters just gave each other a loaded little look.

"That's just part of being sisters." Aqua said.

"Can I give you guys the holy grail of advice: never try to figure out girls. It won't work, but don't worry. We don't understand you guys any better." Aero was looking straight at Myde as she said this and for some inexplicable reason, she scared him.

"Or do we?" She continued with a dubious wiggle of her brow.

"Um guys? Ya wan'a explain what's going on?" Mickey said in an attempt to get them on track. Aero just sighed in response. It was going to be a long day.

"We might as well do this where the old fart could hear it. I don't want to have to repeat myself"

* * *

Five minuets latter everyone was gathered in the library waiting on the tale. As she looked around, Aero realized that this would not be easy. Some didn't know how much they had truly lost and others would be all too aware of it.

"Everyone here knows different parts of the story, so I'll tell it all. If you have a question just ask and I'll answer it truthfully, but there are a couple things I will not say, so if you ask one of those questions don't be insulted if I don't answer." There were a few unsettled looks at her one demand, but no one said anything. Aqua had learned her lesson for today.

"What we know as the Keyblade War was not the first and probably won't be the last. As far as I know there was at least one other. This war took place about fifteen years before the one we know when one single soldier became so enamored with the darkness that he let it control him." Aero noticed everyone was staring straight at her, captivated with her words. Only one set of ultramarine eyes looked away. It seemed that this part of the story was hitting a little too close to home for one of the keybladers.

"The Dark Crusader, as he became known as, destroyed several worlds before he was stopped. One of those world was the home of the keybladers at the time. These worlds were destroyed in such a manor that they were never able to be restored, instead they were condemned to a hellish existence somewhere between existence and extinction. Between civilization and brutality. They became the Feral Worlds.

"Eventually the Dark Crusader was destroyed. Then Thanroe, Kaine, and Sky rebuilt the order; they spent years training and teaching the new recruits.

"Soon after the refounding of the order, Sky left. He had found a lovely woman and wanted to start a family. He even changed his name so that he wouldn't be bothered by fans of his past. No one begrudged him the choice. He had disserved it. After all he had sacrificed… after all the time he had spent fighting. The only surprise was just how readily he gave it all up. After he gave up his blade he never looked back."

"You can give up being a keyblader?" Donald asked in wonder, his lisp still very prominent.

"Yes. All you have to do is stop calling it. The Keyblade will always be there, but if you don't use it…

"Not long after Sky retired, Kaine fell into similar circumstances. The only difference was that Kaine did look back. He looked back constantly. Every chance he got he would sneak away to Kostose and help train the newbie's. He clamed that Thanroe could not handle it alone, that he was needed. And he was; that's the only reason his wife didn't put her foot down and demand he leave that life behind him. Even after his sons were born he could not give it up.

"His reluctance caused many problems in his marriage. But eventually, about a year before what we'll call the second keyblade war, for simplicity, he caved in. Kaine totally gave it up. On the surface at least. Behind his wife's back he was teaching his sons swordplay.

"During this time, Thanroe was left to oversee the chasers on his own. Aqua and I had been living on Kostose for about four years and Ven had been there for about six months when Thanroe told us he had information that someone was trying to conquer Kingdom Hearts. To do this they would need to capture the seven princesses of heart.

"Thanroe thought it best if the chasers got to them first. It was a sound idea so he sent his best and his brightest." The ever modest Terra squirmed as Ven blushed at being called the best, despite it being more then true.

"Terra, Ven and Aqua searched. They even asked for my help. You must know that at the time, abilities were not what they are now. I could do very little to help that way, so I found another. I used my mechanical skills to build a machine. This machine could scan every world from Kostose and if there were an world with an excess amount of light…

"The identity of the princesses were very soon discovered, but before they could be brought to Kostose for 'safekeeping' Terra uncovered evidence that Thanroe himself was the one to covet Kingdom Hearts." Terra's eyes were suddenly filled with hate at the memory and the color was slowly changing from a deep blue to a kind of amber only seen on heartless. He looked scary.

"Some believed us. Terra had a lot of clout amongst the Keybladers and more then a few thought that there was something off about Thanroe. It didn't exactly hurt that Kaine believed us.

"On the flip side, some didn't believe. Blaze was one of them." Aero carefully watched Yen Sid out of the corner of her eye as she mentioned the boy. She was trying to gauge his reaction but he had none. Rather disappointing. Aqua, on the other hand, was able to keep whatever snotty comments she had to herself.

"He helped Thanroe close Kostose's borders and lock us out. Mickey then let us use Disney Castle as a base for the resistance. Near the time of the final battle, Kaine arrived. Somehow he had found out what was going on and wanted to help. We wouldn't let him. He had a family to take care of.

"The day of the battle everyone fought. Except me. As people started falling, it became more and more clear to me that they would not win. Thanroe was using dark magic. Magic so dark, that in the very moment he began invoking it, Blaze realized exactly who was right and who was wrong. By then it was too late. Thanroe used that black magic to enslave him." Aero got a hint of satisfaction at seeing Yen Sid's surprise. It was almost harder for him to believe that Blaze was a good guy then it was for Aqua, and he, by every right, should know the truth a hundred times over.

"Although he was not in control of his body, he was in control of his mind. Blaze used his abilities to contact me while I was waiting for the inevitable He had a plain. You see Blaze is one of the most talented magicians in all the worlds, except for one little drawback. He knows spells that could make Flair look like a lightning bug's backside, but he is unable to do the simple ones, fire, blizzard, and any type of cure spell always allude him along with several of the upper level light spells.

"During the first minutes of life as the oracle, I experienced a surge of power. My magical strength was multiplied exponentially and that was exactly what we needed." Aero was careful to word this part of the narrative so that one single topic would not come up.

"Why did you do it? Mother," Aqua spat the word out as if it were venom, "told me that you went there voluntary." Obviously all the evasion was for naught. Aqua still asked. Aero briefly considered telling them that this was one of the forbidden subjects but her sister would not have it.

"Please Aero. You did promise."

With a sigh and a pained expression the seer continued.

"I needed the power." The girls three companions shared a look of wonder, horror and understanding. She had condemned herself to that hell for them? Ten years of it?

"Don't give me that look. You guys take hits for each other in battle all the time. It's no different." Her voice did not leave room for contradiction. It was clear that she was not comfortable with her friends thinking that they owed her anything for her sacrifice. Terra understood this mentality perhaps more then anyone.

"You're right, it's not." Terra said with a little smile. Everyone looked at him and luckily picked up on his hint. The matter was closed.

"The magic we used came with a price. We were able to save many of the mortally wounded and send them home, but to do it their memories of anything that had to do with keyblades had to be lost. Some people's memories could not be wiped, like if they were considered a God on their world or if they were close to the center of the conflict, like we were.

"Aqua, you spent your every waking moment since you were twelve trying to keep me from that fate. It was your purpose and that's what it cost you.

"Terra, you know what it took form you." Ven and Aqua looked at their friend for a moment, but when the answer was not forthcoming, the let the subject die.

"What about you Ven? What was taken?" Aero really didn't know. Things like this could be anything.

"I…I…I don't remember." He said in a defeated sigh, after a few moments of thought.

"Well these things take time. It'll come back to you." Aqua whispered, trying to comfort her friend but it wasn't working. His face still held the defeated grimace that was so out of place on his usually sunny face.

"No I mean I knew. Everything I had been missing, my memories form when I was little. I may not have actually remembered them, but I knew where I belonged. Now I don't remember." A spasm of pain crossed Aero's face at the words.

Terra raised his brow and shot Ven a 'look-what-you've-done' look. It was clear to everyone that Aero would have paid the price for everyone if she could have. But she couldn't and there was no reason to add to her burden.

"Well, I figured it out before; I guess I can do it again." His smile was weak, and Aero could tell it was a little fake but that didn't lessen her appreciation of his actions.

"What did it cost Blaze?" Aero stared at her sister for a moment, and once she deemed the question born of genuine curiosity and not maliciousness, she answered.

"You all know how vain that boy was, right? Wouldn't have traded his baby blues for nothing. Well for the last ten years, he's been reduced to almost a literal shadow. Fitting yes. But it did cure him of his vanity quick. Now can I get back to the story?" She said with a little laugh.

"Since Ven was in the worst shape, he was hidden first. His heart was hidden behind that of another. Someone who's heart was already similar to his. Sora." There were more reasons, but they were not ones that should be said in front of a crowd. after a moment of quite taken for them to digest all the information Lea had to inject his own question.

"So Roxas did have a heart!" The exclaimed, earring an annoyed look for boy in question.

"Just who is this Roxas?"

"We'll get there Ven, we'll get there." Aero said to pacify him, while nodded to the red head.

"Next was Terra. He had rushed in without really thinking. I had to bind his heart to the heart of Sunset Horizons.

"Aqua was bound to her armor and Thanroe had his memories completely wiped, although I'm not sure how long it lasted. Ienzo, you would know the next part of the story"

The scholarly boy took over, describing how Xahanort had appeared and his experiments. Terra didn't take lightly to the news of his enemies proximity to his family and to the news of his father's choice to burry himself in to his work.

Once Ienzo was done it was Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Mickey's turn. They told of the attack on the Island and of Riku's stint on the dark side. His turning on "Ansem" did not go untold as did his actions in Castle Oblivion.

As the story turned towards their second adventure, everyone begin to tell their story. Lea and Myde described the actions of the Organization; Riku and Mickey told what exactly DiZ had been up to and Sora told of his adventures.

"Wow." Ven whispered. "So what now?"

"Well, first we let Mickey tell us the good news, then we should stop and let Terra talk to Ansem, and then we should see if we can get on Kostose. If we can, we can probably look through Thanroe's things and maybe get a clue to what exactly his next move will be." It was odd for Terra to watch Aero take charge like this. Normally she was just a rather meek little thing.

"So…?" She asked Mickey, although she already knew the answer.

"Minnie's goin'a have a baby!" The little mouse was so excited, he almost didn't notice the congratulations and excitement. Aero just smiled.

She let her mind slip into fantasies of blue eyed children of her own. Aero could picture them looking exactly like miniature versions of Terra with the same unruly hair and …

"Earth to Aero. Where were you?" Terra asked, waving his hand in front of the violet haired girl's face. Her concentration was immediately shaken and she could not help the faint blush that crept across her cheeks.

"Oh, just daydreaming." She whispered.

"About what?" Van asked with a cat at and canary grin.

"Is it really that hard to guess?" Aqua asked him, playing along. He sisters blush deepened as she prayed that Terra would not get the intimations.

"It's times like this I miss my garage." She muttered just loud enough for Terra to hear, "at least there, there was no shortage of things to throw at them."

* * *

When it was finally time to leave, everyone started to file into the Sanzu. It had taken much effort to keep Mickey form coming, but subtle reminders that this priorities were different now forced him to concede.

Aero and Van were last in line to enter the vassal, just as Aero had planed it. When no one else was looking she pulled the blond haired boy to the side.

"What the-"

"Shhh!" She urged.

"Listen, there were more reasons for why it was Sora then just what I told everyone." Ven's eyes widened with curiosity as he silently egged her on.

"The thing is that I don't remember them." The way she said it made you believe that it explained everything when it only added more to the boy's ever growing list of questions.

"Then why say anything?" He was more then a little annoyed, just as Aero was more then a little frustrated at his inability to understand.

"Because there're too many coincidences for it to be a coincidence. There is a good chance that this has something to do with the holes in your memory." His eyes widened at the thought but Aero didn't notice. Her mind was somewhere else.

"Hey, listen. Can you tell the guys that I'll be right back? There is one last little thing I want to take care of. Thanks!" She said, taking off before he even had a chance to reply.

"Sure." Ven muttered, knowing that she was too far gone to hear him.

* * *

When Aero approached the Castle's library, she was relived to find it empty of everyone except the one person she wanted to talk to. Yen Sid stood at the desk while putting all his things into a large bag, not unlike the enchanted one Merlin has.

"You know, the entire time I was telling my little story, I was trying to figure out one thing. But I couldn't. Pretty much the only time you reacted was when I mentioned his little drawback." She said as she leaned against the doorway. It was clear that until she spoke she had not been noticed. But even now that she was, she was not given a response.

"Would you morn him if he was dead? Or would you celebrate?" Her tone was not accusing but her words were.

"Would it matter?"

"I think it would. You see if you morn that shows that you care, despite what you say may say to the contrary, and if you cared it actually makes what you did all the more sickening. If you celebrate, then that means you don't care and that you are lying to everyone about being one of the good guys. And if you don't feel anything? Well that would mean you don't have a conscience and I don't feel comfortable having you around my friends." By now she had moved towards him and was moving her finger slowly over the piles of books on the desk without even looking at her pray.

It was unsettling to see one so small, almost as if she should still be in pigtails, try to be dangerous. She was doing a good job of it though. In fact, she reminded Yen Sid of another dangerous woman. Maleficent had acted very similar at that age and the end result wasn't pretty.

"You see, Yen Sid, one of the things my friends my not realize about me yet, is that I can be a manipulative little bitch. And vindictive. It would not be hard to ruin your life and I wouldn't even have to tell anyone what you did to that boy."

"I've done nothing!" The old sorcerer had never felt the need to explain himself to anyone and he wasn't going to start now.

"That's kind of the point. Don't ch' think?" She asked before turning around to leave. Once she was at the door she gave a little half turn and gave one final threat over her shoulder.

"You better hope he's alive, because if he's not, the secret becomes yours and yours alone and I would have no reason to keep it."

* * *

Morose was in another one of her snits. All of the chasers had been resurrected including that damnable Blaze. The dark witch had always firmly believed that the boy should have been drowned at birth…or smothered in his sleep. He couldn't even do magic right so what use was he?

"They're back. All of them." She screamed as she barged into Thanroe's workshop. He immediately looked up from his current subject in amazement at the usually unwelcome intrusion into his personal space.

The scientist was currently trying to combine two different specimens into one super rebirth. So far the experiment was not going well. He could not even begin to guess why. Every variable had been accounted for.

"All of them?" Thanroe muttered, not taking his eyes off the experiments.

"What did I say, you nit wit? Yes all of them!" She shouted almost loud enough to wake the subjects strapped to the tables.

"Huh. Experiment on subjects 25423-285536 and 7672543-4253: unsuccessful. Specimens are to be disposed of." The little voice recorder in his hands clicked off.

"Sir?" Asked a little voice from the corner. It was a boy, no older then maybe seven or eight years old.

"What are you doing here?" Morose sneered with disgust, ignoring the boy's flinching response.

"There is no need for that. The boy just wanted to learn the trade." Thanroe said, silencing her.

"Muttsuri, what is it?" His voice showed a certain measure more patients with the boy then his companion did and for that the boy was grateful.

"Well, maybe if you put the specimens back together," he whispered gesticulating to the beakers that held the hearts of those Thanroe was working on, "you could try again latter. Wouldn't it be interesting to see if this experience has any effect on other experiments?"

Thanroe smiled at the boy.

"You are becoming quite the scientist," He whispered with a little laugh as he took the boy's suggestion. "Put these back in their cell." He directed the Neoshadows that had come to do his bidding.

"Now if you are done being sentimental, can we get back on subject? What are we going to do about the chasers?"

"Easy. We take a page out of your mother's book." He suggested. When Morose simply answered with a snort, he offered another one.

"Or we could always ask your father for help."

Instead of throwing a fit like a reprimanded child, as he expected she would, at the suggestion, she actually looked thoughtful.

"We could do both. But we don't have to _ask _my father for anything. Last I heard he got exactly what he wished for. Don't worry his futility can be used to our favor."

* * *

In the hast to manipulate more members of Morose's family, no one noticed a single black coated figure in the dungeons of The Castle That Never Was. The coats were standard enough but he stood out by his very nature. Said figure had no grace. It was as if he were but a dangly teenager after a growth spurt.

He came to one of the many cells that lined the hallway and opened it.

In it stood five figures huddled around two others that were currently unconscious. When he entered, they moved in to protect the wounded.

"I'm here to help." He whispered.

"Edward?" The blond haired male asked his companion. It was obvious that they all knew each other and that the bronze haired male had a high standing in the group.

"Nothing." He could not read the boy's mind.

"Look, if we don't leave now I can't promise your safety. He will experiment on you and not everyone survives it." The figure urged.

All the conscious figures looked at each other. It was clear that they were concerned for their friends.

"Emmett? Jasper? Jacob?"

"You mean your friends that have already been taken? They survived and they are with the chasers, now." The cloaked stranger informed them.

"Chasers?" The blond male asked again.

"They're the good guys. I think." He replied while opening a portal through the darkness.

"Common. If we don't hurry then we'll be caught." At those words, the two wounded members of the coven were lifted up. Apparently the small one with dark spiky hair had woken up while he had been explaining the situation.

"Thanks Sunny." She said to him.

" Tsuntsun." He insisted.

"It's not your real name, so what does it matter? I'm still calling you Sunny. It's cutere."

"Humph."

* * *

I know that there is a lot of information in this chapter. With the back story comes the setup for the sequel and with the translated names comes clues. Hehehe. Also just what did Yen Sid do that was so bad? It's evil. I know. Just as I reveled what the big secret about our resident princess is I put up another one about the sorcerer and the 'villain.' Also you may just be able to figure out who Morose's father is. Hint: he is not an OC.

I must be out of my mind. A 4800 word chapter when the last one had no reviews and only eight views. I can't even get my best friends to even look at the sucker. :(


	15. Marching Orders

The moment Aero had stepped on the light, woodsy world, she knew that Kostose was to be her home; the place her heart would never truly leave. Something called to her from space the first moment she laid eyes on the dense ball of forest. Latter she would claim that it was the people more then the place itself that was her personal siren.

In ten years nothing changed except for the lack of people and the inches of dust that had accumulated on every available surface. The halls were quite and deserted; a state that, although not unnatural for the place, was more then a little eerie.

Those who had not previously been invited to the sanctuary of legends, found it to have an enchanted air to it. The architecture was like nothing any of them had ever seen (or in Ienzo's case, read of) before.

Every room was built high in one of the plentiful trees that reached well over a hundred feet into the air. Most of the outside walls were comprised of large arching windows that let in so much sunlight the rooms were bathed in eternal dusk. The walls themselves were an ash colored wood that gave a stark contrast to the ivy that had climbed in through the windows and continued to grow along the inside of the halls.

The second Kairi stood inside she froze. This place looked familiar. It was as if she had seen it somewhere before. A movie, a play, a dream… that's it! A dream.

Looking around the girl quickly realized that this was neither the time nor the place. For some reason she knew that blurting her business out to everyone was not the smartest thing… it wasn't that she didn't trust them exactly, it was more that she felt that they have their own secrets so she should keep hers.

"Wow. This place really didn't change." Ven said as the party walked down the long deserted halls. "Except it was less dusty last time."

"Well what were you expecting? Castles and dungeons and motes?" Aero asked only half sarcastic. Thanroe couldn't have shone too many of his true colors or they would have had more people on their side.

"Not the motes." Was his almost curt reply. Aqua rolled her eyes while Terra just stared off into space. She knew something was wrong. It had been wrong since the boy talked to Ansem; whatever had been said was obviously weighing heavily on his mind.

"They decided not to say anything." Aero whispered to her sister, informing her of Terra and Ansem's decision on reviling Kairi's heritage. It was a foolish move. Not only would it bring pain to both men, it would also bring pain to the one person they were claiming to be protecting.

In Aero's opinion, they were just being cowards. It was natural for Terra to rush into battle; to face challenges head on, but the moment the emotional atmosphere changed…

"Idiots." Aqua voiced both sisters' reaction in a single decisive word.

"My thoughts exactly. But Izzy will straighten them out when she finds out. I wonder if Terra is too old to get a spanking?" The seer mused aloud just loud enough for her sister and Ven to hear.

"Not if you're the one giving it." Her sister shot back, sending the blood rushing to Aero's face, although it was hard to tell if it was because of anger or embarrassment.

"And you call me the immature one of the group." She huffed offended as she walked a little faster to get away form the current duo. Honestly she and Terra were just alike. They were fine when they were the ones dishing out the crude jokes but god forbid they were on the receiving end…

"You know if you ever got the opportunity…" Ven called after her loud enough to alert the others to the existence of their conversation. Aero on the other hand turned, and looked Ven square in the eye.

"If I ever got the opportunity, Ventus, I'm sure I could be a bit more creative then that. Don't you think?" The spiky haired boy's eyes widened in horror at the images that were brought to mind at his words. With a simple shudder, the boy trudged forth, answering no questions and ignoring the tiny girl's laughter.

* * *

After almost twenty-four hours of sleep Blaze was still not completely rested, but he did not try to go back to sleep. The dust in his room made it almost impossible to rest unless one was dead exhausted and he was starving. Not a good combination.

Stumbling out of bed, he made his way out into the long corridor that comprised of most of this wing of the complex. What he didn't know was that just as he was opening the door to his room, the very ones he had almost given his live to protect were passing. The sudden opening of the door startled Terra so much that the only sight Blaze saw was the end of a long keyblade millimeters from his face.

"Errr…Hi?" Blaze really couldn't be sure what to say. He had suspected that Terra was awakened as well but to really see it and he didn't know how much Aero had told them; how much he was still a bad guy in the eyes of the Chasers.

Before Terra could react, Aero had bound forth like a rabbit and wrapped her arms around Blaze's neck so hard that within seconds started turning blue.

"Brea…thing…would…be…nice." He managed to gasp out causing the tiny girl to release her death grip.

"Well that's what you get. Do you know how worried you had me?" Aero's hands were resting on her hips which was a very un-Aero like gesture. She noticed him wearily eyeing the crowd around her and she could probably

"Don't worry about them, I've told them everything. Now why didn't you tell me where you've been? I've been worried sick." Aero said sternly, causing Blaze to give a little laugh.

I'm sorry your majesty," he teased using their own private joke, " but I was a little too tired to think of anything but sleep."

"Oh. So how are Koji and Kouichi?" Her concern was just as evident in her voice as it was in her face. She had gotten attached to them just as she had to everyone else she had manipulated. Perhaps that was a trait derived from the rare characteristic she had of only using her brand of subtle guidance only in a way that would lead to good for those being handled.

"As far as I know they are just about as tired as I was but other then that they seemed fine." His words set the girl's mind at ease, and he continued.

"So what are you guys doing here?" Blaze inquired.

"Well I wanted to have a look at the DLI and take a look through Thanroe's things before we plain our next move." Her explanation had the newer members of the group doing a double take. DLI? When they voiced the question she answered.

"Remember the machine I told you about? The one I built? That's it. The Dark to Light Interface." Aero's voice had more then a hint of pride as she was talking about one of her many 'babies.'

"What good will that do? We all ready know who all the princess of heart are." Riku asked.

Aero sighed. It would be nice to have people figure something out on their own for once.

"Just because the DLI was used to find the princesses does not mean that is all it can do. Actually it's not even its main function. See every world is made of both darkness and light. If there is too much of either it can be bad. The DLI can measure how much of each is in any given world." Aero trailed off trying to see if anyone else could see where she was going with it.

"So if we can tell which worlds are out of balance then we have an idea of where to start our search." Ienzo finished. Good boy.

"Bingo baby." Aero replied.

"Makes sense." Sora muttered.

"The only kink I haven't been able to work out with it is that, when doing a general search like we will be, the DLI takes forever. So I kind of figured it would be best to get it started and then look through the bustard's things." Aero explained.

"Maybe I could be of assistance." Ienzo offered. Aero tried really hard to hide her distain at the thought of someone else touching her 'baby' but apparently she wasn't as good as she hoped; her friends could still tell.

"Maybe." She answered as she led the group towards said baby.

* * *

When told of the supposed miraculous machine, the teens had a certain set to expectations. These entailed it being something like the DtD; simply a big computer. They should have learned by now that nothing that had to do with Aero was ever what one would expect.

The room that appeared to hold the DLI did not fit into the architecture of Kostose at all. The walls were covered in a kind of smooth black metal that was not dissimilar to what Gummi blocks were made of and their was no control panel, only a single chair in the center of the room.

Without so much as a word Aero hurried over and plopped herself down into the chair and took something from a side pocket: a pair of rectangle glasses, similar to sun glasses yet without the nose notch.

Putting them on she stretched her hand out in front of her and touched something only she could see within the air.

"DLI engaged. Search: all known planets. Parameters: all that falls outside of the ranges of forty to sixty percent darkness." With those words the computer sprang to life to do as it was bidden, and Terra turned to walk out the door.

"There is nothing we can do here. We might as well start looking for answers. You coming?" He asked. With a shrug most followed him. Only Nessie stayed. Ienzo, on the other hand, was torn. He so wanted to see the great machine in action, but he was also the one to know the most about what Thanroe was after. In the end duty won out and he followed the many leaders to the office of the former Keyblade master.

When they reached the office everyone started looking through every book, file, and paper to possibly find something. Terra took some of the more classified information (it would not do to have one of Kairi's friends find out the truth) while Ienzo pulled a small black stick from his pocket.

When Riku saw the flash drive he asked his ex-nemesis what he was doing.

"Thanroe may try to take back Kostose. If he succeeds, It would be fortunate for us if we have the information this computer may hold. Also I'm implanting an untraceable program that will periodically send all information to Ansem's computer and then allow me to manually crash every computer linked to this terminal." Ienzo explained without even looking at the rest of them.

"Do you think it will come to that?" Kairi asked. Ienzo finally looked up as he answered.

"I hope not but between those in this room, Thanroe has been underestimated numerous times. I don't intend to add any to that count, do you?"

She never got a chance to reply for Myde interrupted the moment as he held up a single tattered piece of paper. The look on his face told everyone that he had something, something tangible, something viable, at least in his child like eyes.

As he started to read from the tattered piece of paper everyone else soon saw that it was important not only in his eyes but in the eyes of other's.

Entry 5

_It seems that I have become obsessed with gaining power, especially now that the Dark Crusader has been bale to reproduce. How long until the little brats are old enough to make the same mistakes as their father? How long until the legions of Farrell Worlds grow?_

_It is not a question to me as to 'if' it will happen but as to 'when,' after all, the apple does not fall far from the tree, no matter how dark the branches are. This is the root of my obsession, perhaps unhealthy as it may be, but it may just be the only thing keeping every keyblader alive. _

_Although my search has been thorough, I have been unable to find any means to this set of aims. I have looked everywhere even within the binds of the Émigré manuscript but found nothing except some rather nasty ways to separate the body, soul and heart. Only one power exists that may be enough to defeat him, but could I do it? Could I fight fire with fire; darkness with darkness._

"This looks like Thanroe's hand writing." Terra pointed out.

"Forget that. The Dark Crusader had kids, that can't be good." He muttered just as Aero entered the room.

"What can't be good?" She asked, before having what looked like a sole journal entry shoved under her nose. As she quickly read the words scrolled in black ink across the page, her face got slightly tighter.

"Which part were you talking about?" Her voice was calm and level.

"He was talking about the Dark Crusader's kids." Terra explained causing the girl to raise one brow.

"I'm more concerned with the fact that, according to this, Thanroe knew what he was dealing with when he accepted the darkness. This was no accident. He chose this." Blaze's voice had a hard edge to it, almost as if somewhere deep within his heart he hoped that the darkness had clamed his master in the night; that he could be saved simply because it was an unwilling slave to something much bigger.

"Doesn't the spells in that Émigré thing sound like how the heartless and nobodies are made?" Myde asked, calling attention away from Blaze. His jump in brain activity seemed to jog his brother's memory.

"Isn't that the book Roger Bacon told Dad about? The one that was so evil, but he couldn't destroy it?" Lea wondered aloud.

"Alright, so here's the deal. The DLI spat out one world that is almost ninety percent dark. Also I saw what Ienzo did to the computers and it's a good idea. I built around that and programmed the defenses for this place so that only we can get in and it would probably be a good idea to do that to the computer in twilight town. Although it is pretty smashed up information can still be recovered.

"Ienzo, Myde, Lea, you guys should probably track Bacon down. Since you are acquainted with him, he may be more willing to cooperate. Ven, Aqua, Sora and Kairi would you mind taking care of the computer?" Aero asked and without even waiting for their reply.

There was a method behind her madness. The brothers where the only ones she was able to be straight with concerning her reasoning without giving away secrets that were not hers to give. Ven would not like going with out Aqua and she seriously doubted that Kairi was the kind of princess that was content to twiddle her thumbs while others faced danger. Plus this kept Terra sane. He knew that they, and Sora, would not let anything happen to his baby sister and he didn't have to worry about him accidentally doing something to jog her memory. On top of all that, Aero wasn't sure how much she trusted Aqua around Blaze. They simply fought too much even on the best days. Perhaps that's what comes with being as different as fire and water.

"Blaze, Riku, Terra and I will check in on the world with so much darkness. Any questions?" She asked.

"Why can't we all go together?" Sora asked, slightly uncomfortable with the thought of being separated from his friend again. It was understandable considering how much he had to go thorough during his last adventures. Dealing with Riku's truing to the dark and then finally seeing the light. His banishment to the world of darkness and (although Sora didn't remember) the fight through Castle Oblivion.

"Time is of the essences."

"And trying to fight with more then three or four people in a party gets too messy. It gets too hard to keep up with where everyone is." Terra explained and Aero was thankful for his intervention. It was getting awkward with her being the one people looked to for answers.

"Ness?" Aero asked the girl, causing her to look up. "Would you mind staying here? You and your family would have plenty to hunt and we need someone to manage the DLI and keep us in touch with each other while we're gone. It's really easy. I'll show you how and we'll keep an eye out for the rest of your family."

"That would probably be best." She answered, nodding. It wasn't like she knew much about fighting anyway.

* * *

So our heroes have gone their separate ways. Now I'll be able to give _everyone _a bit more screen time for those of you who wanted a bit more of certain characters. But that also means that their may be some chapters without certain characters. Nessie kind of got the same treatment as Mickey. Not totally out of the picture but the fat has been trimmed. I'm not saying we're not going to see her anymore it's just the rest of her family will be a bit more prominent then she is, even if she is my favorite Twilight Character.

The reason I didn't write Terra and Ansem's reunion is simple. Nothing really happened (at least that I know about) except they decided not to say anything.

As for the DLI think that big computer from Digimon season Three. I have no idea what it is called; I've only seen a couple episodes of that season, but I love the idea of big computers…

For the inside of Kostose think a combination of Ellesmera, the home of the elves in the Eragon books, and Kashyyyk the Wookie home of Star Wars.

Yes I'm a nerd. Deal with it because both worlds have to be in the story for plot reasons, although one will show up a soon while the other must wait until the end of the third act (This chapter marks the end of act one, so you can tell it's going to be a while). Also showing up are Yu Yu Hakasho and Shaman King. Those are the only ones I'm set on. Naruto on the other hand will NOT be making an appearance. I never could get into it and it seems as if every other KH story has that in it, ergo it's not in mine.

School's out on the twenty second and I want to see if I can get chapter twenty out by then. That's what? Two chapters a week? Feasible. Wish me luck.

Also there is a line stolen straight form the twilight movie. Not mine.


	16. Old Men, Dirty Magazines, and Pretences

Setting off on an extended journey with his brothers was not something Ienzo ever planed to do, but that's where fate took him. To counter act the annoyance he knew he would be subjected to, Ienzo relinquished control of the vestal to his brothers and effectively hid in his room the entire trip.

No one would blame him for it. Between Myde's _talented _rendition of _99 bottles _fully accompanied by the sitar and Lea's many attempts to snuff out the boy's talent, anyone would be driven insane quickly. Even their brother.

The only time he left his room the entire trip was to investigate the little side trip Lea had insisted on making. Upon the red-head's request the party stopped off on a seedy little world. It was the kind of place that respected members of society did not go and that most children didn't even know existed. However, obviously Lea did, not that he could really be called a child any more at twenty-three, but still… this was not a place any decant person visited and Kensal had raised his sons to be decent.

The situation only got worse as the oldest of Kensal's sons lead the rest to the entrance of a shop so provocative that Ienzo felt compiled to cover Myde's eyes. Despite the ex-Melodious Nocturne's age of twenty-one his little brother still felt that he had to protect him. Not that there was much he could do, but Myde just exerted this child-like aura that probably would accompany him well into old age.

Once Lea exited that damnable place, Ienzo made it a point not to ask what was held in the black plastic bag his brother carried. More then likely the younger two would probably rather not know. Some questions were just not worth the answers. Not a very scientific thought, but true none the less.

"Was all this really necessary?" He asked.

"Why else would we come her?" Was the pyro's reply.

"How did you even know that this place was here?" Myde asked. For as long as they had known their brother, he had never been the kind of person to go to places like this although he did seem the type.

"Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies." He answered with a smirk. Somehow Myde knew that this little adventure wasn't for the obvious reasons. But then again when was anything any of his brothers did for the obvious reasons?

* * *

The cliffs of Wales did not seem to Lea to be the best place to build a home. Uneven terrain and the isolation of that particular spot could only be the home of someone with a massive anti-social complex. But, if he remembered right, that was exactly who they were looking for.

Rodger Bacon had been a friend of their father's and although the boys couldn't really remember in which context, they did remember that the shriveled old man was not usually much of a team player. And why should he be? He had survived almost a millennia (although no one was sure of his age, perhaps not even himself) without the aid of anyone. He had become one of the strongest magicians of his world. And the strangest.

One look at the metal monstrosity that vaguely resembled a rocket could tell you that. Lea supposed that it was a given rule that the smarter you were the more eccentric you were allowed to be. Ienzo's domesticity proved that.

As the brothers climbed down the path towards the house they could hear a heated argument boiling. Thinking it unwise to interrupt, at least until it was clear that their help was required, the ex-nobodies simply listened at the door.

"If the issue is money…then it is no issue at all. Name your price." A gruff voice said. Despite his desperate attempt at keeping his voice calm Ienzo could smell the fear all the way outside. What ever the man wanted he was determined to have it; perhaps even to the point of obsession.

"Mr. Garland the issue is not money, in fact I'm doing very well for myself, thank you very much. The fact is that I can't and won't give you the manuscript." Rodger bacon said in a voice as that would remind anyone of a troll, although he did have better articulation.

"Now see here…"

"No you see here! I sympathizes with your plight, I really do. But the Émigré Manuscript is full of dark magic. Magic that could do horrible things. Besides that, the spell you want has never been successfully done. Never. What makes you think you would be the first? Do you realize the kinds of monsters you could release if you even try? Monsters in the bodies of your children?"

There was a crash and Rodger's cry of 'hay!' made it evident that his spew did not please the Garland fellow. Ienzo looked at his brothers and gave a determined nod of his head. Now was the time to intervene.

Busting though the door, the brothers found a hulking man dressed impeccably in business attire, holding the ancient wizard against a far wall of his own home.

"I will have that book!" He screamed as he gave his prisoner a little shake.

"I believe the old man said 'no.' Myde, did you hear it?" Lea asked his voice taking on the sarcastic timber it always did before a fight. Myde nodded, knowing that the question wasn't really directed towards him. Ienzo responded the same way knowing it would give more weight to the vicious threats yet to come.

" Just who do you think you are?" Garland demanded.

"Name's Lea. Got it memorized?" Lea's Brothers just rolled their eyes at his antics as he continued. "I think it's time for you to leave. Unless you want to fight and it has been a while since I've had a fight."

"You might want to take his advice or you may just get your hair burned off." Myde suggested.

"That was one time. One time!" Lea defended.

"But still, it might be better for you if you leave the old man alone or I'll make sure that you can't so much as swat a fly." He continued.

Observing the boys, Garland quickly realized that fighting them was not an option. They were obviously strong and Garland himself had always had the money to pay others to do the fighting for him. He swiftly walked out the door loosing none of his dignity and silently swearing that he would get that book if it was the last thing he ever did.

Once he was gone Lea turned to Rodger. It was clear to Ienzo at least that the old man didn't recognize the boys. Not that anyone could really blame him. They hadn't seen each other since Ienzo was what, Ten?

"Just who was he and what did he want?" Lea demanded of the old man.

"It really isn't any of your business. Just who do you think you are?" He snapped back.

"Well sorry for saving your wrinkly ass. I won't make the same mistake again."

"I believe you knew our father, Kensal." Ienzo interrupted. It would do them no good to get on his bad side already. As far as they knew he was the only one with so much as and idea of where to find the manuscript and they had to hurry. Apparently they weren't the only ones looking for it.

Bacon just stared at the boys for a few moments before responding.

"My I'm getting old." Myde thought it best not to mention the fact that they were older then they looked and that Bacon himself probably hadn't been anything close to young since the dark ages.

"So who was he?" Lea asked again causing Bacon to take a deep breath.

"His Name is Graham Garland. According to his story he lost both his children in a car accident several years ago and as been looking for a way to bring them back to life ever since. It's a pitiful situation but I can't help him." With the old man's words Ienzo caught his brother's eye and gave the red-head a look that clearly told him to do nothing; that Ienzo had a plain.

"Is it even possible, bringing people back from the dead, I mean?" He asked. Ienzo was sure to make his voice as innocent as feasible. Of course it was possible, he had just witnessed it not three days ago.

"It's dark magic. Dark magic indeed, but possible." Rodger muttered.

"But why would Garland think you would know how, and what was that Émigré Manuscript he kept asking about?" Myde could be surprisingly perceptive sometimes. He must have caught the look shared between his 'smarter' brothers and decided to play the game as well. Ienzo could have kissed him for it. Having the potentially more damaging questions come from the more innocent of the brothers made Bacon more likely to answer.

"Oh…Well…" it was clear that he wasn't comfortable discussing the issue but these were his friend's sons so it couldn't do that much damage.

"The Émigré Manuscript is a spell book full of dark magic. There is a spell in there to bring the dead back to life but no one has ever gotten it to work."

"Oh? What other kind of spells are there?" Myde continued to the amazement of his brothers. He played naive so well that for a second they were forced to wonder it he had been playing them. Did he secretly find it easer to play stupid?

"I can't say. Nope. I won't." Bacon insisted, finally pushing Lea's patience to the edge of its already too small rope.

"Listen, that's why we came. It wasn't some social visit. We need to know about that book." Lea's voice raised just the slightest bit but it was more then enough to tell Ienzo that now was the time to interrupt.

"We're not interested in actually doing any of the spells, we just need to know what spells are in the book." Ienzo explained before he went on to tell details of Thanroe and what the brothers were trying to accomplish.

"I'm sorry. I can't help you. That book was buried for a reason." The only good thing about his response was that he actually took a moment to answer which meant the had at least considered it. It was also a good thing that Lea came prepared. He may not have remembered much about his late father's friend but he did remember the one thing Kensal had mentioned as the old man's weakness.

"I'm sorry too. We weren't expecting you to help us for free; we're not idiots." Lea said, for once not casting a glance at his brother or making any snide remarks at the last phrase. He had always found it funny that his brother was known as the Schemer when most who really knew the brothers would clam Lea to be the more slippery of the family.

Lea brought out the big black bag he had stopped especially for. This kind of stuff wasn't his thing; like any sane person he preferred to see the real stuff, but whatever got the old raisin's flag flying.

As he pulled the stack of dirty magazines out of the bag and set them on the table he was sure to drop a few just so they spilled open to the centerfolds. Bacon's eyes popped like those of a stress doll.

"But since you won't share… then there is no reason for us to." He finished as he shoved the magazines back into the cursed opaque bag that hid the magazines from view. Bacon's face dropped instantly. He knew he was being tricked. Being baited. But he didn't care.

"Fine I'll tell you if you promise not to use any of the spells." Lea smiled. It was just too easy. They were finally going to get the information they needed. But the only thing was, they weren't the only ones listing.

* * *

Six hours later Lea was thanking whatever higher power their was for his brother's brains. Although the hiding spot itself was not more then a hundred feet from Bacon's house, it was littered with puzzles and monsters. The beast were easy enough to handle, in fact, Lea rather enjoyed that part, however, The puzzles fried his brain.

The floor was an odd color coded series of blocks with large gaps in between sections. The only way to get across was to hit the right switch for the right block. Sounds simple right? Well it wasn't. Every time one block would move it would move another one as well so that they were often stuck right by the switch.

Once they were safely back in Bacon's house Ienzo skimmed through the book as Bacon skimmed through his. Within seconds Ienzo had found something interesting enough to share aloud as Bacon kept his loot greedily to himself (not that any of them were interested).

"_Human memories are a form of matter, just as the physical manifestations of the light and darkness are, and as such can not be created or destroyed only transferred. They can be copied, manipulated, and even erased from ones mind but never completely destroyed. _

"_Some memories are lost naturally. What purpose would be served by one remembering what one ate on a certain day when they were two? These needless memories are used to maintain natural magic such as the barriers between worlds. Other magic calls for fresh memories. Ones that have been plucked from the mind especially for this purpose…" _

"Here's another." Ienzo said as he continued quoting.

"_Taking the metaphorical heart out of one's body and separating the components is a relatively easy task resulting in both pieces being exponentially stronger then the completed specimen…" _

"What does this mean for us?" Myde asked, worriedly.

"It means that Thanroe is a lot sicker then we initially gave him credit for if he actually tried some of these. And I have little doubt that he did." The hard set of Ienzo's face told his brothers that this was serious. Although he was never really one for jokes, the sharp angry set of his eyes told just how bad the situation was.

"How do we know which ones he tried?" Myde asked.

"We don't. All we can do is-" But he stopped himself. With several tentative sniffs, Ienzo's expression changed from anger to the closest thing to panic he could muster.

"Poison." He muttered as he hit the floor with a thump and begin coughing so hard that he could not even manage the words to tell his Myde and Lea to run. It would have done little good. There would not have been the time for them to save themselves anyway. Bacon and his brothers soon followed him into unconsciousness, without having so much as a minuet to worried on whether or not the poison was lethal or not.

* * *

One month ago….

The boy that would later be dubbed Sunny sat high above the rest of Twilight Town. No one would notice him on the clock tower, not this late at night. He came here to think. It was a quite place where no one bothered him. It was the kind of place you could never find in the daylight.

He was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he did not notice the darkness pool and shape a human form. The form said nothing as it sat down and handed him a sea salt ice-cream. He looked at his visitor and although she still had her hood up, he could tell just who it was.

"Xion, why does she hate me?" Sunny knew his voice was smaller then it should be, a trait that may just allow people to see through all the spells, but he didn't have to worry. Xion already knew all his secrets.

"Morose hates everybody. Even Thanroe." Xion would not lie to him. He was a good kid and disserved only the truth, no matter how unkind it was.

"What about him? Do you think he would ever be proud of me?" He asked. Sunny knew what the answer would be. He was young but not stupid, but was that an excuse for his naivety? For his secret desire for the truth to be to the contrary.

"Thanroe is not someone who you want to be like. If I were you, every time he shows disappointment see it as a compliment." She muttered, not taking the ice-cream bar out of her mouth.

"So what do I do? It's not like I can run away. Where would I go?" It broke her heart to see the young boy's pain. He had been like a younger brother since Thanroe had dragged her into this little organization a few years ago.

No child as young as he should have to give up hope, and it should never be easy in the few cases that it's necessary. But for Sunny it seemed to almost be nothing.

"You do the same thing I did. You smile and pretend and when their back is turned, you do the right thing. That's all there ever is to do: the right thing."

Sunny pulled the hood of his dark, standard issue organization cloak down and let his bleach blond hair fall into his blue eyes. He sighed as he made a choice that unbeknownst to him, would shape his entire destiny.

"From now on, it's just me and you, Xi. We're all the family we'll ever need. F…forget them. I'll go back to pretending and you will too. When they're not looking well show them. We're not nobodies. We have a conscience and we know how to do the right thing." It almost sounded as if he were trying to convince himself of the truth.

"You're a good kid. You disserve better." She said and there was no need to elaborate on the matter. Sunny wasn't old enough to really understand what she meant but he did know who she was talking about.

"Maybe. But I do have better. I have you."

* * *

Sorry it took so long, it's just that seeing as I'm still under the age of eighteen I am subjective to the whims of a higher power that calls its slef an adult. In lame man's terms: I was grounded from the computer. I most likely won't get my quota done but hay I tried.

On a different note I want to thank my friend who prefers to only be known in cyberspace as Theo. He has volunteered to Bata all the chapters of this story during the summer. All I have to do is let him proof read my essays for the summer reading list. I'll get a grammatically correct essay and he'll get quality work he can copy. That's an AP class for you.

By the way for those of you who have played the Shadow Hearts games this takes place between two and three.


	17. Crash Landings

Aero woke up tangled within the thick confines of her comforter and drenched in a cold sweat. While she had been imprisoned on her home world she had never slept; never dreamt, but now that she was free every night was almost hell. She would hover in the realm between nightmare and premonition, always seeing enough to know that whatever the dream showed was bad but she never saw enough to help.

Tonight she had only heard. Chanting, broken glass, and death screams. The worst part was the she recognized the voices; at least some of them were Ienzo, Lea, and Myde. Could her dreams be telling the future of those her conscience mind could not?

If that were true then there was not much she could do now. She had seen too little to even begin to guess at what is to come, but the violet haired girl wrote her observations down just in case. Perhaps tomorrow's sleep would yield a bit more information.

After grabbing an outfit out of her closet and throwing it on, Aero made her way to the cockpit. She was looking forward to being able to look at all the stars outside the big window and think on all the drama life had thrown her way. It was a calming exercise and the solitude would be welcomed. No one else would be awake at four in the morning.

Unfortunately for her, the resident physic did not take into account the sleeping habits of a cretin white haired dark warrior.

Aero and Riku did nothing to acknowledge the other as the seer took her rightful place in the pilot's chair. She could tell that the boy in the chair beside her had something on his mind but she didn't ask. It may have been a question that she could not answer. He had obviously noticed too many things for it to be many other things.

"There we go." She muttered more to herself then anything a few moments latter. Riku looked over and then directed gaze to the root of her own.

It was the oddest thing Riku had ever seen. Although he had never seen a world from space he knew that this one was not normal; not by the way Sora had described them. Instead of one world with its features enlarged to show travelers just where they were going, he saw only a group of small sphere, not unlike a schoolhouse model of a solar system only this one held not dozens of planets but hundreds.

A gasp was heard as the girl read some data off of a screen. With a push of a button, an enormous alarm rang out throughout the entire ship. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Within thirty seconds, Blaze and Terra both came running in the area fully dressed and alert.

"Man the guns and buckle up cus I got a bad feeling about this."

"What's going on?" Blaze asked slightly panicked. Aero was not one to call alarm to a situation. There was something going on that she wasn't telling them. She would not have woken them at this hour for nothing.

"What's going on is that according to the scans, we are about to intrude on a major space battle and it's not going to be pretty. I'm not talking about clearing a Gummy path either. This time it's war." The two boys who had worked with her before knew that when she said the words 'buckle up' you listen, because it was not a phrase the great Stunts said lightly.

Almost before they had a chance to take her advice, the need for it came into play. Outside the window a scene gruesome in it's beauty unfolded. A space craft that had to of been several miles long was being attacked by countless smaller fighters.

Blaze couldn't help comparing the sight to that of ants trying to take down a fully grown bear. Impossible.

"Aero, who exactly are the good guys on this one?" He was actually afraid of the answer, and Aero's bitter little laugh did nothing to quell his fears.

"The underdog. Who else would it be?" She asked as she pulled the ship into a tailspin so fast even she must have gotten a little dizzy. Shots were being fired from all directions and it was not looking good.

Blaze watched as two small ships zipped past them with a kind of grace rarely seen on a battle field. It was, to put it in an overly romantic way, almost a dance. The blond haired boy stole a glance at his friends face and even an idiot could tell that Stunts was impressed. Whoever it was had skill. Mad skill.

Now that he really looked, as he set the controls of his own laser he realized just how beautiful the battle really was. Despite what his history may suggest, he was not easily one to relish bloodshed, but this was different. Blue and red streaks of light across a lighted planetscape with the sun rising just over the horizon. It was not something anyone could ever forget.

"Oh shit!" Aero said with a gasp. Being an ex-oracle gave her special privileges, including seeing exactly what she had to do to give them a chance at saving their own asses. It was not going to be fun (for anyone besides her, at least) , in fact things were going to get a lot bumpier from here on out.

"Hey guys?" She asked unsurely as she followed the two fighters.

"Are any of you religious? Cus if you are, now would be the time to pray." A scary thought, especially when she hit the thrust and aimed the ship directly at the monstrosity ahead.

The yellow fighter did a complete summersault as it sent laser bolts into the side of the giant ship. Within seconds, the blue shield that apparently kept the bad things out in the good things in blinked out of existence just as a set of huge metal doors begin sliding in to take its place.

When Blaze saw exactly what Aero had in mind he screamed. It was not the excited scream of an adrenalin junky skydiving, nor was it the surprised scream one would have made when playing with a jack-in-the-box for the first time. No, this was the scream of a six-year old girl with a habit of still wetting the bed, who was forced to watch a Chuckey marathon. Not pretty.

The moment the ship hit the ground there was a scramble to get out; even Terra walked toward the exit a little faster then normal. It was a depressing thought, seeing how he usually had very good space legs.

In their hurry to get out no one really noticed the two robed figures fighting a small army of robots that were in the hanger with them as well. The light show made from their swords mirrored the civilized grace of the battle that was raged out in space.

Once every metal body had hit the floor, the figures turned to the crew of the unnamed ship and as Aero looked into the eyes of the warriors a million images hit her mind. She was filled with such a cold feeling of dread and despair that she could not help the tears that leaked from her eyes as Blaze caught her, preventing her from sinking to her knees.

"Aero!" Terra and Blaze cried in unison as the raced to catch her.

"It's nothing. Just…just my gift acting up again." She tried to make it seem as if it were a natural, everyday occurrence, but no one was fooled. The blue-eyed man with the scar over his eye narrowed his eyes at her as she fought not to do the same. It would not do to accuse him of the trillions of murders that would be on his hands or fall on his word. He had not done them _yet _and now was neither the time nor the place.

"That bad, huh?" Blaze whispered. She had told him of the many tragedies she had seen and the many dark souls she had come across in her imprisonment but she had never reacted like this. Wither it had to do with her being free or the particular situation was unclear, but what she said next lead him to believe it was more the former

"You have no idea. Just watch out. It's not safe." She said, latching onto him. As she looked around, she gave a little shout of despair. Parts of the ship were strung from one end of the hanger to the other and what was left in the general form of a ship did not even remotely resemble the masterpiece it once was.

"It's okay, Aero. You can fix it." Blaze muttered, rubbing her shoulder.

"Fix it?! Fix it?! I'll have to totally rebuild it and I built it from scratch to begin with!"

"Weren't you the one driving?" Riku reminded her only to receive a very feline like hiss in return.

"Master, shouldn't we be going if we want to rescue the Chancellor form Grievous?" A young man Aero knew to be called Anakin Skywalker said. His face was set in a hard determination that only made Aero angry, despite her not showing it. All he would do… all the lives… how could she do anything else but hate him?

"You might want your robot to hack into the ship's mainframe and find out just where exactly your friend's being held. I mean, knowing a direction would help in our search, wouldn't it?" The cold sarcasm in Aero's voice told her friends that something was up, but they didn't ask.

Anakin nodded to Artoo, and the little droid got the hint.

"How did you know that we were looking for someone?" The slightly older man, Obi-Wan Kenobi, said. It was clear that he was the voice of reason and decorum between the pair but the hostility was obviously there, just a little more buried then his friends emotions were.

"Why else you be blasting your way into an enemy ship in the middle of a space battle? I suppose it could be sabotage but considering the fact that all of your side's other ships are trying not to hit this one, I figured it's a hostage situation." Terra was dumbstruck. She had time to notice all that in the middle of the battle? He had been more concerned about hitting the bad guys.

"How would you know that? You're probably separatist." Anakin accused, causing her to roll her eyes. Terra knew that she should probably shut up; that the temper that was so like her sister's was going to get them in trouble, but he could do nothing. Once she was fired up, it was all but impossible to cool her down, and considering the seine it was bound to cause, Terra knew better then to attempt it.

"And you're probably Sith. Now do you want to sit hear blabbering or do you want to save your friend. Your choice." Skywalker and Kenobi shared a look and headed over to where the little droid was. Once they were out of ear-shot Terra grabbed Aero's arm.

"What do you think you're doing? If they are the good guys, like you said, then why are you acting like this? It's not you Aero." The violet haired girl could not dispute his logic nor dispel the agony his tone had brought her.

"They're the good guys. For now. You don't see what I see, Terra, and I would never want you to. The darkness we sensed is not Thanroe's making, and it's only going to get worse." The complete horror in her voice took Terra by surprise. She was not one to be frightened by much.

"Well whatever happens hasn't happened yet, so don't act like it has or it will only make things worse." It was the only advice he could give her; it was not like he could empathize with what she was going through. From what he could see both their new _friends _were good people.

"We should probably follow them." Riku whispered as he felt both Jedi's boring into his back. They were suspicious of them; which made since to Riku. Strangers who show up knowing things that weren't their business with a tiny hostile girl were not usually given a very warm welcome on any world.

* * *

Morose hated diplomacy. The entire idea was the antitheist of how she saw the world. Making friends and asking for help was not her thing; she infinitely proffered to do things on her own. If you can not reach your own goal on your own merits then you do not disserve to reach it at all. That was something her brother had never gotten.

Malaton had always been the kind of person who enjoyed working with others. He believed that when you worked in a team then your friends were likely to have found something you missed in a situation.

What a load of bull. No wonder Maleficent couldn't stand him.

If it weren't for Thanroe's genius plain then she would not be here. The boy in front of her could not be more then maybe sixteen and yet he still had that same smile her brother had. The kind that was like a parent hearing a child's amusing tale all the while knowing it wasn't true.

"You think I need your help?" he laughed, "I am infinitely more powerful then your are and besides you don't want to help me. This is all about you."

"I do not want Yoah dead. I will win this tournament and I don't need your help, so I suggest you leave before I loose my patients and kill you." He continued.

Morse's deathly pale face puckered in disgust and astonishment. The nerve! Did he not know who he was dealing with? No matter, she could just use the lamp…

"You are quite mistaken; I am well aware of who you are. I think it is you who was misinformed. Your father's magic would not bind me so don't waist your wish."

Morose was shocked. Could he read minds? If he could then he would know…

"Yes, as a matter of fact I can." He answered just as his watch started beeping. "It's time for my match. For your own sakes, it would be wise for you not to be here when I return."

Despite all he had done, Hao had never seen himself as a villain, but these people were. Their was no question that they were the embodiment of evil, especially the male. Hao may want to rid the world of the petty and corrupt human race but there were some things that even he would not do. Some things so despicable that even the human race did not disserve. Things Hao Asakura would not do. Ever. No many how many times he survived the fires of hell its self.

* * *

There were just some cans of worms that did not ever disserve to be opened. Koji Minamoto knew he just so happened to have opened one. He had never told Kouichi this, but he had little intention of ever calling his father's bluff.

He was not ashamed of his brother by any means. His father was just not the type to take well to losing and by knowing that the truth about his first wife and eldest son was no longer a secret, he had in effect lost one of the biggest battles of his life.

Koji would never even pretend to understand, especially since Kousei Minamoto offered no excuse to his betrayal. That fact had hurt the warrior of light more then anything. Was he not even worth the breath it took to give a reason? To explain why ten years of his life was spent wrapped within the confines of a very uncomfortable lie? Along with the lack of excuses came the lack of caring. He had never asked anything about the son he had given up, nor he wife he had left to fend for herself.

Though, thinking back on it, Koji really hadn't given him much of a choice. His exit had been a bit cursory.

"Hey man. What's going on? Koichi called me saying he was worried and you won't answer your cell. And I mean you always answer for him." Takuya asked as he came to sit beside his best friend on the park bench.

"It's complicated." Ever the man of few words Koji did his usual. Answered the question wile giving as few details as possible. Sometimes Takuya could swear that his friend was moodier then his mother when she has her 'Aunt Flow' over. Not that he would ever tell Koji that. One thing you never wanted to do was get Koji mad. That boy was wicked dangerous with a kendo stick.

"More complicated then the time you found out that your arch enemy was your twin brother that you never knew you had? Or what about the time when said twin turned out to be just a spirit and almost died?"

"Yeah, pretty much." He replied nonchalant as ever.

* * *

I don't know if it's Kendo that he's so good at but we'll just go with that unless someone can point out the right thing. It's going to be fun seeing how Aero and Anakin's personalities clash. They will either be worst enemies or best friends. Even I'm not so sure yet.

I'm going to West Virginia to visit some family for at least a month so I'm not sure just how much time I'll have to write, but I promise that I will find a way even if it means doing it on paper first *gag.* Also I'm interested to see what said family says about the purple strip I've dyed into my hair. Well… you only live once. Maybe.


	18. Note

Hello my readers,

I just wanted to thank you for all the support and to make an announcement. This story is currently going under a massive rewrite and I'm not talking about plot and grammar. I will be posted under the name "Kingdom Hearts: Re: Birth by Sleep."

When I first started the story I was just entering high school. Needless to say that by now (my junior year) both my writing style and characterization has grown. At first I had only a very general idea of what the end of the story was going to be. The plain pretty much boiled down to giving all my favorite characters from all my favorite books/show/movies a key blade and letting them have at it. As fun as that sounds it got a little too much off topic and everything went a little too much according to Aero's plain to be realistic.

Fair warning: it will be loaded with spoilers especially Terra's ending and Ven's beginning (the seine with him wrapped up in a blanket). I found a rough translation on line and was able to get the general idea of what was going on and fell in love. So if you hate spoilers please, as much as if pains me to ask, don't read. I will be leaving the old version up for a while.

Just for fun I've included an explanation of things I've hinted at but will be abandoned in the new story. You are welcome to use and or mutilate them for your own stories if you want.

**The Court of Kingdom Hearts:** was supposed to be a group of thirty six keybladers form both dark and light that have control over kingdom hearts. It would have the hierarchy of a chess board. A king from dark; a king from light. A queen from dark; a king from light. And so on and so forth. The 'chasers' rings were a status of membership.

** Why it was cut:** too many plot wholes. What I've typed above was about all I had for it.

**Blaze/Malaton**: The character is not completely cut I'm just going to be a bit more forth right about the fact that they always the same person. His back story has changed in regards to his connection to Xehanort. He originally changed his name to escape the stigma of his mother but in the new story he never got the chance.

** Why it was cut:** he wouldn't have been the only character with a duel identity and it would have just been a bit too much.

**Sonny:** again not completely cut just has his story simplified. Originally he was a small child who made himself look older in order to help people.

** Why it was modified:** Since I began taking a physiology course I realized that his character wasn't realistic.

**Izzy: **Her part has not been cut, has been expanded along with that of a couple of her friends.

** Why**: Can't really explain without giving out massive spoilers for the story.

**Koji/Koichi/Shaman King/ Twilight**: as of now they have been almost completely cut. If the characters show up at all it would be at about the same capacity as most of the final fantasy characters. Just fillers.

** Why:** as I said before it was originally my intent to have a main cast of at least thirty six. Not happening. I'm going to have enough of a time handling the reduced cast of about a dozen.

**(Gollum Chapter five):** with this I was trying to show Morose's ability to make a doll like copy of someone. Here she was perfecting her skill. Latter she would have made a doll of someone the keybladers didn't know and thought was real to drive a wedge between Aero and Terra. Needless to say it wouldn't have worked for her.

** Why:** I realized that that ability didn't fit Morose's personality and that it wouldn't be necessary to accomplish what I need.

Thanks for bearing with me,

Karlie (Rubbykk)

P.S. The prelude to KHRE:BBS is going up today. I can't promise regular updates but they will be better then they were.


End file.
